Staff of GRA, Akim Oda branch hit the streets to create awareness of the need to pay taxes
Our Taxes Our Future campaign was announced by the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti in the month of November to create awareness of the need for the citizenry to perform their civic duty by paying their taxes.
The staff of the local office of GRA, Akim Oda Small Taxpayers Office on Thursday 7th of December, 2017 hit the principal streets of Akim Oda, telling the story of the need to pay taxes by educating the town folks.
This was done with support from the Akim Oda National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) since they have a collaboration with GRA as far this campaign is concerned.
The exercise was complemented with placards showing inscriptions such as: "We are all Nation builders, so pay your Tax", "Pay your Taxes for more development", and "Little drops of Taxes, build a mighty Nation, So pay your Now", "Register Now With GRA, To pay your Tax", "For free education, pay your Taxes" and "Our Taxes Our Future".
Other staff members carried along fliers with similar inscriptions of that of the placard and shared them as the float was ongoing.
The head of the STO, Mr. Benjamin Terkpor has this to say when asked about the need for the exercise, "As part of the ongoing national tax campaign, we want to create more awareness and sensitize the business folks in and around the municipality, as a follow up to the radio programs held at Ofie fm. We want to encourage those who have not registered their businesses to come and register with the Authority, to also encourage filing of returns and ask defaulters to come and settle their tax arrears, to encourage people to register for the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and finally the exercise was to remind them of the sanctions the Authority can impose on them for failing to abide by the Tax laws as required".
It was noticed that the people of Akim Oda danced along the music being played, this looks like a great sign and acceptance of the message being passed from the GRA local office.
Nevertheless, some of the town folks shared their grievances that, for compliance level to rise, there is the need to see developmental projects especially good roads and then, they can attest that their taxes paid are working for them.
The local office is hopeful and looking forward to see good results from the town folks, they believe this exercise will breed high compliance level.
