PAC is not a totally useless exercise - Kweku Baako

Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr. has disclosed that African Automobile Limited (AAL) has paid part of the money that accumulated after the company evaded tax.

It would be recalled that during one of the sittings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, it was disclosed that AAL, a company that engages in selling cars and servicing vehicles of state institutions have evaded taxes for many years even though they had received payment from the state.

Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was asked to calculate the total amount of taxes owed and subsequently, AAL, was directed to pay an amount of GH¢6,174,750 as being total tax liability on corporate tax on undisclosed interest and penalty.

Even though Kweku Baako did not reveal the exact amount that the company had redeemed, he said the company has been able to pay part of the money.

The Editor-in-chief was commenting on the achievements of the PAC and the fact that some are complaining of their incompetence as far as bringing corrupt companies and individuals to book.

PAC has been receiving a lot of bashing after it resumed sitting on August 19th 2013. A lot of people are of the view that it is just a waste of time since nothing comes out of the recommendations they make.

Juxtaposing the two issues, he said the fact that based on the recommendations of the PAC some of the amount owed by AAL and other companies have been retrieved, “it is not a totally useless exercise.”

“With some instances, they have been able to retrieve some of the money. In the case of African Automobile, in terms of their tax obligations, they have been forced to pay some of the money and so it is not a totally useless exercise."

"Public Account Committee of today, if you compare to the ones they have held in the past, this is the best. The public sitting itself is part of the healing process. Since it started it’s been good” Kweku Baako told Kwami Sefa-Kayi on Wednesday’s edition of Kokrokoo Morning Show.

According to him, PAC cannot be blamed totally because they can only make recommendations; it is left with the institutions responsible to punish or prosecute.

He added: “In terms of prosecuting, I think we have failed. Our institutions have proved a little bit weaker in spite of the improvement in this sitting. But it is a reflection of who we are and what we are. It is a collective failure in that sense.”