Bolgatanga: Tax and Good Governance Week Launched

     

  

The Ghana Revenue Authority, GRA says the generation of the free Tax Identification Number by potential taxpayers, has been simplified through an initiative called the Total Revenue Integrated processing System. 

This came to light at the Regional launch of the Tax and Good Governance Week held in Bolgatanga. 

The Bolgatanga Small Tax Paying Office, Mark-Donald Pwawari, who gave the hint said with the system in place, TIN can be generated within minutes, stressing that taxpayers are only required to visit the nearest Domestic Tax Revenue Offices with any recognised ID card to complete their forms for the TIN. 

Report

Payment of tax is considered a legal requirement and a fundamental ingredient for the state to function effectively. In Ghana, most business set ups and individuals are still reluctant and fail in their civic duty to honour their tax obligation despite vigorous public education. 

Quite worrying is the fact that out of the estimated six million people, a little over one million are registered with the Ghana Revenue Authority, the country’s public regulatory body mandated by law to mobilize revenue for national development.  

 This situation has created huge budget deficits which are often bridged through government borrowing and support from donor partners. 

The institution of the Tax and Governance Week was therefore organised to bring to the attention the need for the citizenry, particularly potential tax payers to fulfil their tax mandate as required by law.

 The launch held concurrently across the country follows the president’s directive to all ministers of state and other public officials to file their tax returns before April 30^th deadline. 

In the same vein, the GRA is requesting all citizens to also file their income tax returns and obtain TIN certificates or risk doing business with key state institutions. 

Addressing the gathering, the Bolgatanga Collection Sector Commander of the GRA Customs Division, Francis Tanlongo, encouraged all citizens to file and pay their taxes promptly as this will help ensure a significant increase in revenue for national development. 

Under the new tax regime, government has declared a tax amnesty to enable taxpayers register, file returns and make outstanding payments for previous years without the imposition of interest and penalties or prosecution. 

These interventions are aimed at ensuring voluntary compliance by the taxpayer. 

In a speech read for him, the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari entreated Ghanaians to help actualise the president’s vision of Ghana-Beyond Aid by cooperating with the GRA in its tax campaign.

 Launching the event on the theme: Filing Your Tax Returns, Your Civic Responsibility’, the Bolgatanga Small Tax Paying Office, Mark-Donald Pwawari, hinted that with the TIN registration was free and with the Total Revenue Integrated processing System in place, it takes just some few minutes to generate a TIN, hence the need for all to get the TIN to able to access services from key institutions. 

The launch of the Tax and Good Governance week attracted employers as well as business reps among other potential taxpayers. Dignitaries present including the Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Azonko took the opportunity to file their tax returns.

GBCs Isaac Asare