We will lose if we don’t pay tax - NCCE Chair

Ms Josephine Nkrumah, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has advised the citizenry to pay taxes to enjoy development.

She explained that it was revenue that was used to build a great nation and without it, there would be poor healthcare, roads, no access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres, no laboratory in schools, no access to justice system, no-access to potable water, poor sanitation conditions, and the like.

“It comes back to hurt us when we don’t pay our taxes and the right taxes,” she stressed.

Ms Nkrumah was speaking at the on-going annual Constitution Week celebration of the NCCE on the general theme: “Our nation, our heritage, consolidating Ghana’s democratic gains”.

“Ghana’s democratic governance is 25 years and Ghanaians have the course to celebrate it,” she noted.

Democratic rule in the country has matured, therefore, steps have to be taken to entrench it so that the future will continue to be governed by the tenets of democracy and one of the ways to sustain it is through the paying of taxes.

She said that the celebration was in two phases: on tax compliance and taking care of the environment.

The NCCE Chairperson said, every citizen’s primary responsibility was to be tax compliant, thus, the occasion would be used to orient the minds of the youth to become leaders who will transform Ghana.

They should also encourage their parents and members of their communities who earn money to pay taxes in order for them to have well-equipped Science Laboratory centres, portable water, beautiful school parks, well-furnished health centres and others.

She called on parents to render their tax obligations for the provision of the right amenities to give the future leaders an enabling environment to thrive and contribute their quota to national development.

Ms Nkrumah advised them to take the greening of their environment seriously so as to help check climate change by planting trees, protecting it and keeping it clean.

It attracted 40 schools from both private and public, including; La Wireless Junior High School (JHS), Nativity Presbyterian School, Tenashie JHS, La Presby JHS, St Maurice Roman Catholic JHS, Airport Police JHS, Osu Home JHS, Vision Seed Academy, La Enobal Basic School, Rangoon Camp Primary, South La Estate Primary and La Yahoushua Primary.

Mrs Gladys Mandedey, Municipal Chief Executive of La Dadekotopon said, though Ghana had enjoyed sustained constitutional rule over two decades but not without challenges such as lack of transparency, accountability and minimal involvement of the public in decision making.

The celebration, she said, would instil in the youth the governance process as decisions on healthcare, job security and others have the greater impact on their lives.

She commended NCCE for its independent and non-partisan roles played over the years to promote and sustain democracy through civic education.

Mrs Bernice Addai the Municipal Director of Education said the week was the time to learn the constitution through games and quizzes, including other activities.

She urged the pupils and students to work hard to become useful citizens.

Religious leaders, traditional leaders, Assembly members, Circuit Supervisors, heads of schools and teachers were also in attendance.

There was a tree planting exercise, signifying nurturing of democracy civic participation in governance.