Pay tax to demand accountability – Citizens urged

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Central Gonja District of the Northern Region said residents must endeavour to pay their tax to better position them to demand accountability from public office holders.

The NCCE said payment of taxes was not only a legal requirement but an important civic duty for citizens and non-citizens urging all to honour their tax obligations to the state to help government generate resources to provide social amenities for the benefit of all.

Mr Abdulai Ayaala, the Central Gonja District Director of the NCCE, said this at various fora in the District as part of the campaign to educate residents on tax compliance to increase national revenue through tax collection.

Activities undertaken as part of the three-week campaign include door to door business education, meeting of individuals one-on-one, dawn to dusk broadcasts at information centres, visit to major market centres such as Yapei, Buipe and Sankpala and GPRTU stations in the District.

Targeted groups reached were artisans, transport operators, faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, women’s groups, economic groups and taxable entities, among others.

Issues discussed included the need to pay tax, correlation between taxes and national development and rights of the tax payer.

Mr Ayaala said a tax payer was a nation builder because taxes helped the Government to provide health, education and road facilities, free senior high school, and extend electricity to rural areas amongst other things for the development of the country.

He, therefore, advised all taxable entities and persons in the district to register with the Ghana Revenue Authority to pay tax so as to avoid embarrassment such as closure of business and payment of penalties when the tax laws were being enforced.

Source: GNA