Deputy Communications Director of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Samuel Amoako has described President Mahama’s filing of his tax returns as a ‘Political Cosmetic’ since it’s unnecessary from his outfit as the President to file his tax returns.
He believes if the President in his own wisdom thinks tax payer’s money is what will make the economy grow, then he should relatively expand the tax base to attract more income.
“As the President, there are so many issues to be solved in this country. For me, filing his tax returns is cosmetic. That is how I will describe the whole thing. It was not necessary. If he (the President) thinks that will move the country forward then he should rather expand the tax base. The only means he can expand the tax base is to empower the National Identification Authority which was initiated by the flagbearer of the PPP, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom,” he said.
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday filed his tax returns for the 2012 fiscal year at Kinbu office of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). While this is not the first time he is filing his tax returns, President Mahama said he decided to make it public to whip up the enthusiasm of people to honour their tax obligations.
Speaking on Accra-based Adom FM, Sammy Amoako referred the President to the 1992 constitution that a sitting president is exempted from paying tax so his attempt to do so was wrong.
“Article 68 (5) of the 1992 Constitution states clearly that a sitting President is not legalized to pay tax. We must query the President about where he got that money from because he does not own any company for him to pay tax. This is a direct contradiction of the provision of the constitution. He (the President) is exempted from paying tax by the constitution. We must also check whether the President filed all his tax returns when he was then the vice president”.
“…he (the President) was supposed to pay tax when he was the vice president, so if he did not and is now doing that, questions must be raised,” he said.
He however called on the President to address fundamental issues concerning the state and stop playing political gimmicks as he exhibited at the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the GRA when he filed his tax returns.