Audio By Carbonatix
A Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Abeiku Gyan-Quansah has said Ghana’s tax system was unduly complicated and needed to be simplified to encourage compliance.
He said, “Our tax laws especially for the informal sector…is unduly complicated. So for example, if I am from the informal sector and I have employed somebody, you are asking me to go through the tax bands; which are six currently, the person will give you every reason why they cannot go through. Can we reduce this to about three of them instead of the six we currently have?”
Mr Gyan Quansah said a section of the public was not tax compliant because of the complicated nature of calculating tax under the current system.
“Why do you want to have a tax system that unduly complicates matters for you and then people use it as an excuse not to pay?” he asked.
He said, “If we want people to comply and for us to raise the relevant taxes that we want in this country, we need to ensure the systems are adequately working. If I can actually get away with my wrongs, there is the motivation of getting away and doing the wrong thing, to what extent have we enforce our tax laws in the past.”
Speaking at the Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting in Accra, Wednesday, Mr Gyan-Quansah said “If the people are assured that; we contribute and we have our contribution protected then we can always go back to ask for more because the natural question that anyone will ask is that what has happened to all the contributions that I have done in the past?
Innovation
Mr Gyan-Quansah said there was nothing innovative about raising tax revenue if policies and laws were not implemented.
“There is nothing innovative about raising tax revenues if the policies that you have talked about, the laws that you have passed cannot and have not been implemented.”
He said “Before we share innovative ways of raising revenue, the very first point we want to say is that; until and unless the citizens are encouraged and motivated, and reassured that the purse is being protected well we still have challenges when it comes to revenue generation”
He added, “If you have things in the law which we are not passing, you create a lot of uncertainties in the minds of people who have to do it.”
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Examination malpractice is rising, not declining – EduWatch
51 seconds -
Credit Unions encouraged to use technology to improve service
2 minutes -
GBA President calls for reasonable, proportionate bail conditions
7 minutes -
NAGRAT calls for end to political influence on WAEC results
10 minutes -
GBA to announce position on Tribunals Law soon – GBA President
10 minutes -
WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup: Joe Nana Adarkwa eyes title defence with Black Maidens
12 minutes -
GFA opens disciplinary case against GoldStars CEO Kwasi Adu
12 minutes -
Education Ministry welcomes Catholic Bishops’ call for CSSPS review
15 minutes -
2026 Women’s Super Cup set for September 23 to September 29 in Prampram
24 minutes -
Rennes register Ghana defender Alidu Seidu for Europa League amid Nice interest
29 minutes -
Deliberate VAT evasion will attract penalties — GRA
31 minutes -
If the Ghana Premier League is financially weak and structurally fragile, Africa will expose its weaknesses
43 minutes -
Accra-Kumasi Expressway: 48 Engineer Regiment can deliver if well resourced – Political Lecturer
57 minutes -
Businesses above GH¢750,000 turnover must register for VAT – GRA
1 hour -
Kenya confirmed hosts of World Athletics Championships 2029
1 hour