The Spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's campaign team, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has clarified that the Vice President's recent remarks were not intended to criticise the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Mr Aboagye emphasised that Dr Bawumia during a meeting with the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry intended to encourage the GRA to adopt more innovative approaches in their revenue mobilisation efforts.

During a discussion with members of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, March 20, Dr Bawumia voiced concerns over what he perceived as the GRA's excessive taxation of businesses, which he attributed to setting unrealistic targets for its officers.

“They are harassing businesses. That harassment is coming from the sort of targets that are created at their office. They are setting unrealistic targets.

"And this is because the tax base is so narrow you say to them, this is your target for this month, and they are trying to figure out where do I go.”

“Then for them, it is very easy, you go back to where you had it the last time. You go to taxpayers, the people who are already paying taxes and then you have to come up with a new reason why they should pay more and so you come up with all sorts of stuff."

Despite criticism from some tax analysts, Mr Aboagye defended Dr Bawumia's comments, stating that they were aimed at promoting creativity in tax collection rather than casting aspersions on the GRA.

According to Mr Aboagye, Dr Bawumia's remarks were intended to foster constructive dialogue on improving tax policies and practices for the benefit of businesses and the economy.

“I don’t think the Veep’s position is an issue of attack. I think this is not the first time Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has raised this point.

"He’s been a chief advocate of the GRA being a bit more creative in the approach they use to revenue mobilisation. He’s been constant on that.”

“He’s of the view that the GRA not just the GRA all other public institutions should be a bit more creative in the way they go about our activities. And he is not only advocating, he has been leading the drive towards it."