The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, has stated that it would make economic sense to legally recognize the existence of graft in the system in order to tax it.
He has stated that whether we like it or not, graft is a huge economic factor in the national economy, which everybody knows exists, but against which we turn a blind eye. He has, said that it would therefore be necessary to recognize the existence of this fact, legalize it, and therefore make it a taxable activity.
“In some jurisdictional it is recognized as lobbying, accepted as legal, and taxed. It means that people would no longer need to hide it. When that happens, we can bring this whole thing into the national economy and work with it,” Osei Ameyew stated.
The Asuogyaman MP was speaking to the Daily Searchlight in an interview in parliament yesterday.
Expressing his worry at the canker that has eaten deep into the social fabric of Ghana, he said that graft existed everywhere.
“When you send your driver to buy petrol, he takes a percentage of the money and pockets it. When you seek a service anywhere, you are expected to pay something extra on top. “That being the case, why don’t we recognize that this is a fact of life, legalize it, tax it and bring it into the general economy?” he wondered
The Daily Searchlight