The Finance Ministry has amended the Revenue Administration bill. This was made possible after the Minority in Parliament protested against the bill.

The Revenue Administration bill required drivers of all classes to acquire tax clearance certificates to be able to renew their driver's licences.

Prior to its amendment, the Adaklu MP, Governs Kwame Agbodza argued against the bill and chastised government over its insatiable appetite for taxes.

According to him, taxes cannot be squeezed out of the unemployed.

“Mr Speaker, as we speak, there is no Ghana Revenue office at Adaklu District, you are telling me that the guy operating trotro between Waya and Ho should go and look for a GRA office before he even registers… Mr Speaker, it is absurd and the level of desperation to this government to the extent of asking the ordinary Ghanaian that before you even get a driving license, get a taxpayer- the guy is even unemployed so what tax do you expect him to declare?”

But the First Deputy Speaker and MP for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu fought back insisting the principle behind the bill is laudable.

According to him, “It is a true pity that we tend to make politics out of everything.”

“What we should be asking is how we can efficiently implement this tax so that more revenue will be raked in. There is no point in being emotional about who or what because when a taxi driver earns beyond the taxable income, he must pay his dues. If an okada rider earns what is taxable, he must also pay his dues…. If a driver at Adaklu can obtain licence, he would be able to obtain tax clearance certificate,” he stated.

After intense back and forth, the Finance Ministry agreed to amend the bill to take out the portion that requires tax clearance certificate to renew driver's licence.

“I must inform the House that at the consideration stage, I will move an amendment to delete this item from the bill. Mr Speaker, I will move an amendment to delete clause 2 which has to do with the requirement for a tax clearance certificate for the registration of vehicles and the renewal of professional driving licence,” said the Deputy Finance Minister.