NCCE Engages Traders in Bolgatanga On Payment of Taxes

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Upper East Region has engaged players in the informal sector in the Bolgatanga Municipality to sensitise them on their Civic responsibilities and need to pay their taxes regularly.

The Tax campaign engagement was organised for hairdressers, dressmakers, taxi drivers, weavers, traders, butchers, artisans and self-help groups from Soe, Zaare, Sawaba,Yarigabiisi, Dulugu, kumbosigo and Tindonsobligo communities among others in the Municipality as part of the National Campaign on tax compliance on the theme “Our Taxes, Our future”.

The campaign, which was split in three zones for the engagements, highlighted on topics such as; “Tax Payers-Nation builders”, “Taxes Build Nations”, “Your Tax paid for free SHS for a better Ghana”, “I pay my tax, do you? “Every tax helps; come to GRA before we come to you” targeted about 850 people in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

Ms Dorcas Atia, Municipal Director, of the NCCE who enumerated the advantages of taxes and its payment noted that it was everyone’s civic duty and a constitutional requirement to pay tax.

She explained the different types of taxes and urged the traders to pay their taxes to ensure development of the country.

At the main Bolgatanga Taxi Rank engagement, the taxi drivers expressed their dissatisfaction at the alarming rates of corruption in the payment of taxes.

They further registered their concerns on high operational costs due to increasing cost of fuel, spare parts and fierce competition from commercial tricycle operators popularly called “Mahama Canboos” and “Motorkings” which contributed to poor income levels.

The drivers called on government to help improve on the situation of taxi drivers to enable them to pay their taxes promptly.

Some artisans at the programme expressed gratitude to staff of the NCCE for the education and said the benefits in paying taxes was enormous because so much would have been achieved from the taxes paid to government if tax payers were compliant.

They also assured the GRA of their commitment to approach them to meet their tax obligations.

Mr Mawuli Agbenu, Programmes Officer, at the NCCE, pledged his outfits continuous education on Tax compliance at programmes to serve as a reminder for people to hold on to their tax obligations.

Source: GNA