Jail Us, We Won’t Pay Tax – Kumawood

Kumawood actress, Mercy Asiedu, has said she and her colleagues in the movie industry would rather go to jail than pay taxes to government.

According to her attempts by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to take taxes from her and her colleagues are unfair and do not make any sense.

She was reacting to reports that she was accosted by some personnel from the Authority over the payment of tax.

Narrating what happened to Hitz FM’s Andy Dosty, she said officers from the GRA called her colleague actor, Lilwin, while they were on set, and informed them that they had to pay tax for all their movies.

Incensed by the development, she said she told the GRA officials that they would not pay any more taxes since they already pay for copyrights.

She reportedly asked the officials to tell government to expand the Nsawam Prison because actors and movie producers would be willing to go to jail rather than pay taxes.

The Kumawood actress said a lot of them did not understand the law regarding payment of tax and called on the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and related agencies, to educate them further.

She said she does not make much money from the movies and series she currently produces because people are not buying.

The actress also lamented the non-existence of theatres for them to show their movies, saying cinemas take 60 percent of their profits whenever they premiere their movies at these venues.

She suggested that government should appoint someone from the creative arts industry as Deputy Minister for the sector because such a person would be better placed to address their issues.