The Managing editor of the Insight newspaper has criticized President Mahama for filing his tax returns rather late.
Mr. Pratt, a panelist on Metreo TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday said that according to the regulations, all tax returns must be filed by the end of March. For the President to file his tax returns on the 2nd of April and hold it out as a good example worth emulating, is wrong.
He also blamed “handlers of the President” saying that in his honest opinion they are not doing a good job handling his affairs.
“The President has a lot of people at his disposal, lawyers, professionals”. He added that they should have done background checks on every action the president takes because “as much as possible the Presidency must avoid controversy”.
On Tuesday the president filed his tax returns for 2012
The President said “I hope my symbolic gesture will help the Ghana Revenue Authority in their public education and awareness that everybody should pay their taxes”.
But according to income tax regulations, deadline for payment of taxes was March ending. Any person in default of the deadline should provide justifiable explanation in writing or pay a penalty.
Information on the website of the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) reads:
“Please note that failure to pay Income Tax by the due date attracts a penalty of 10% in addition to the tax unpaid”.
In the opinion of Mr Pratt, although a well-meaning symbolic gesture,the President has set a bad example.