GRA Tax Collection Approach Weak And Lame – Nana B Attacks

National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye has chastised the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for their tax collection approach in Ashanti Region.

Nana B as he is popularly known in a post on social media shared his view that the strategy is counterproductive, and oppressive because they should focus on businesses that evidence proves they have been evading taxes.

In a lengthy post on Facebook, he wrote;

“I have been following the activities of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in recent times in their efforts to maximize revenue mobilization and I want to point out one major challenging revenue mobilization strategy employed by the authority in some parts of the country including Kumasi.

GRA has stationed its officers at shops, restaurants and other businesses to record sales of products for tax purposes. Reports say traders in Adum, Kumasi have closed their shops in protest against this obnoxious move by GRA.

This strategy would have been justified only if it was targeted at businesses that ample evidence shows have been evading or under-declaring their taxes.

But in my candid opinion, this ‘widespread approach’ of stationing revenue officers at businesses is counterproductive, oppressive, repressive and suppressive. We are not in normal times – businesses and individuals are bearing the brunt of the twin global crisis and their concomitant economic agony – and the least expected from GRA is to police traders whom no tax evasion findings have been made against.

In this day of technology, GRA should adopt welcoming and pleasant ways of revenue collection strategy that engenders revenue assurance. This strategy is weak and lame since Revenue Officers stationed at these shops and businesses can be compromised to aid owners to evade or under-declare their taxes. GRA should rather strive to reduce human contact in revenue collection and employ technological solutions to take taxes from businesses.

Lastly, the communication department or Public Relations unit of GRA appears dead. Paying taxes is not a pleasant thing and for that matter, a responsive PR approach must be adopted to educate the tax-paying population of their programmes and activities.”

Source: Opemsuo.com/Afriyie Karikari