Minister-designate for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare has called for a national dialogue on taxation to address the persistent issue of under-declaration at Ghanaian ports.

During her vetting on Wednesday, January 22, she noted the need for fair and reasonable tax policies to encourage compliance among importers and traders.

According to her, exorbitant taxes often drive individuals and businesses to evade payment at ports.

"When we are charged reasonable taxes, people pay. Not everybody is interested in evading tax, but if it becomes burdensome, then there is an attractiveness to evade it," she explained.

Madam Ofosu-Adjare also urged policymakers to explore tax reforms that would balance government revenue needs with the ability of citizens and businesses to pay, stressing the need for a stakeholder-inclusive national dialogue to create a fair and efficient tax system.

"So I think that there should be a national dialogue on our taxation so that many more people will pay. I am sure that if the taxes are not that exorbitant, and all of them pay. We may get more than we are collecting.  So a lot of things have to go into ensuring that people declare exactly what they are bringing to the country, and pay the right fees, and it will be much easier," she suggested.

Acknowledging that not everyone seeks to avoid taxes, she stressed the importance of reducing the tax burden to make compliance more appealing.