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Demystify tax payment in Ghana …Education Minister urges CIT members

A 12-member governing council of the Chartered Institute of Taxation has been inaugurated with a call on the institute to fashion out programmes that will help demystify tax payment in the country.

The council has Mr Emmanuel Obeng Asiedu as the Chairman with Mr George  Katia, President of the institute, Mrs Ernestina Christiana Appiah, Vice President of the institute as members.

Other members are, Mr Francis Boi Timore, Ms Esi Duma Sam, Mr David Annan Bonny, Mr Isaac Crentsil, Mrs Grace Mbrokoh Ewoal, Rev. Dr Samuel Senyo Okae, Justice Mrs Novisi Afua Aryene and Frank Yao Gbadago.

Inaugurating the board, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said the council must come out with short, medium and long term strategies to enhance taxation in the country.

He noted that in the United States of America, the two things that people feared most were death and tax yet it was what also offered people comfort because that was what was used for projects.

He said the institute would have to work hard to demystify the issue of taxation to encourage people to see tax as something good.

The minister said beyond the negative aspects of taxes, it also had its own opportunities and once people begun to look at tax payment from the positive light, they would be able to also seize the opportunities created within the tax regime.

He said many people did not know the level of tax incentives that was available to them and the institute must see that as a Greenfield for people to take advantage of.

He said no country can do without taxes but we must begin to imbibe the spirit of taxation into the children for them to see tax as something good.

On his part, the chairman of the council, Mr Asiedu expressed his gratitude for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to serve with excellence.

He said members of the council specifically understood that their charge was to urgently fight for enhanced tax education, study of taxation and related fiscal policies that ensured efficient and effective tax practice.

This he said they would do to enhance tax administration towards improved tax revenue mobilisation to support sustainable socio-economic development, especially beyond aid.

“This is what, we as members of the institute, were trained to do. We assure you that we are carved for these. This, we believe calls for establishment of good working relationships with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority, Taxpayers, and their advisers including the practicing firms, and the general public,” he emphasised.

Additionally, he noted that as part of their charge they were required to improve on tax education, which had the impetus to encourage tax conscientiousness, and voluntary tax compliance among the general citizenry.

 “We cannot succeed in this without introducing innovations in our efforts to promote the study of taxation, and regulation of tax practice in general.

Thus, suggesting the new era in the running of the institute’s affairs, and its qualifying examinations, as well as continuous professional developments and outreach,” he stressed.

  BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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