NCCE, GRA Intensify Tax Compliance Education in Bongo District
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have educated tax payers on the need to honour their tax obligations to increase revenue mobilisation.
The education programme which was conducted in the Bongo markets, churches and mosques and other economically identifiable areas engaged tax payers such as traders, transport operators, dressmakers, hairdressers, weavers, and mechanics, among others.
They were enlightened on how government depended on taxes to undertake development projects.
The nationwide campaign on the theme ‘Our Tax Our Future” was aimed at increasing the revenue mobilisation base of the country to assist government finance its major development programmes.
The Business groups in the District were further sensitised on the need to register with the GRA for the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and they were made to understand that without the TIN they could not carry out any business transaction including opening of Bank Account, registering of Land, clearing of goods from the ports, registering of companies, acquiring driver’s licence, registering their vehicles, biding for government contracts, conducting Business with Ministries as well as doing business with the Assemblies among others.
The tax payers who promised to honour their tax obligations complained of the stress they had to go through to pay their tax due to lack of GRA offices in the district and urged the GRA to decentralise their offices to make payment faster and easier.
They indicated that the main office in the regional capital in Bolgatanga was too far to encourage people to honour their tax duties to increase the revenue base of the country.
Speaking to the traders in Bongo, Miss Alice Ndego, the Bongo District Director of the NCCE indicated that payment of tax was the responsibility of every citizen towards the development of the country and it was constitutionally mandatory.
She expressed her outfit’s commitment to work with the GRA to have the issue of long distances resolved by creating more offices within the district.
“We appreciate your concerns that you will not be able to travel to Bolgatanga to honour your tax obligations and your request for agents to come round and collect the monies or establish an office within Bongo for proximity. We as a Commission will impress upon the GRA to consider your demand but you must endeavour to pay your taxes”, Miss Ndego indicated.
Source: GNA