NCCE broadens tax campaign in Volta

The National Commission on Civic Education has engaged communities in all 25 districts in the Volta Region on the national tax campaign with a focus on sensitising small business operators to contribute their taxes for development.

The campaign, under the auspices of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) with support from UKAID and GIZ, with the slogan “Our taxes our future”, focus on widening the tax net by increasing awareness on the importance of taxes, encouraging voluntary tax contributions, and the need for the individual to acquire a Tax Identification Number (TIN).

Mr Kenneth Kponor, Volta Regional Director, NCCE said government had committed to raking in enough revenue towards building a self-reliant economy, and that over 2,000 community engagements were being undertaken in the Region under the tax sensitisation crusade.

He appealed to drivers, petty traders and shop owners to consider the roads, hospitals and other social interventions, that taxes helped maintain and pay their taxes regularly.

Mr Kponor, stressed on the need for all to be assigned unique “TIN” because it was gradually becoming a prerequisite for financial transactions. He reminded the public that tax evasion was a criminal offence and warned against the act of scheming with revenue collectors to cheat the tax system.

Mr Stephen Botsi, Compliance Enforcement and Debt Manager, Kpando Small Tax Office said the TIN helped establish the credibility of business transactions and urged all persons 18 years and above to visit any GRA office for their identification numbers.

Mrs Ellen A. Amankwa, Senior Civic Education Officer at the Afadzato South District office of the NCCE said tax evaders risked business closures and prosecutions, and appealed to the public to spread the message of tax contributions.

Mr Clement Mamadu, Acting District Director of the Krachi East office of the NCCE also called for a change in attitude towards honouring tax obligations and asked contributors to cooperate with revenue collectors. Mr Godwin Agbenyo, District Director of the NCCE, Keta Municipality said artisans and petty traders formed the bulk of the working public and that the nation would reap lots of revenue if they faithfully contributed their taxes.

Mr Blassius Adzei, Officer-in-Charge of the Ho West NCCE office appealed to entrepreneurs to register their businesses to aid suitable taxation, and said through taxes, government would maintain the positive business climate.

Some workers in the informal sector who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), lamented the absence of GRA offices in their localities and requested that the Authority operated mobile tax collection services and registration of TIN.

The campaign is being carried out through the print, electronic, social media, stakeholder engagements, personal interactions and contacts, community outreach including engagements in churches, mosques, markets and compliance activities.