Ofori Atta’s Pay Your Taxes Comment Disappointing – Jinapor

Former deputy Power Minister John Jinapor has described as disappointing comments by the Finance Minister that Ghanaians must pay their taxes in order to feel the performance of the economy in their pockets.

Mr. Ken Ofori Atta who painted a glamorous picture of the economy at a press briefing Monday bemoaned the nonpayment of taxes by some Ghanaians who then turn around to complain about the economy.

“Individuals are not paying their taxes. If that nice suited gentleman says I am not feeling it in my pocket ask the person whether he has even filed his income tax before,” he said.

Reacting to the comment, Jinapor urged Mr. Ofori Atta to broaden the tax net and also concentrate on real areas of growth in order to rake in more revenue.

“The finance minister’s remarks on filing returns is very disappointing,   if you don’t create the jobs, you would not get the taxes. You don’t expect the woman selling plantain by the road to go and file returns for taxes. Let’s take pragmatic steps to broaden and widen the tax base. For a finance minister to make those comments, it does not engender confidence,” he told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Tuesday.

The Yapei Kusawgu MP also took a swipe at government’s policies and programs describing some of them as needless.

“It’s not just about building factories but building strategic factories. A lot of the bold policy initiatives campaigned on is becoming useless. I would implore the Finance minister to concentrate on capital expenditure than macroeconomic indicators, they can be deceptive. We must spend more on capital expenditure. It transforms the economy”.

Also contributing to the discussion, Dr Saeed Boakye, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Fiscal Studies said government’s handling of fuel prices hasn’t been impressive.

“I am disappointed at the prices of fuel. I am not happy with way the government has handled the issue of fuel”.

Source: Starrfmonline