President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the time has come for Ghanaians to make tax payment a certainty.
The President said this at the Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association held in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional Capital.
The conference was held under the theme: ‘Ensuring an increase in revenue mobilization through taxation for the purpose of accelerated national development: The role of the lawyer.’
Addressing the gathering on Monday, September 13, on the issue of revenue mobilization, he emphasized on the need to accelerate national development to improve the living standards and generate jobs for the masses, especially the youth.
According to him, the society has not yet reached the stage of universal acceptance of taxation as a matter of public good.
He bemoaned that not everyone was fully ready to acknowledge the fact that accelerated national development can only be achieved through dynamic and dramatic increase in revenue mobilization.
“Fellow members, it is most assuring that you have chosen to place the lawyer right in the middle of the process for revenue mobilization” he said.
“The only thing we have not driven as a country is to make taxes regular, predictable parts of our lives” he stressed.
He, however, called for an urgent need to significantly enhance the country’s capacity for domestic revenue mobilization.
This, he believed, will broaden the country’s developmental potential, create opportunities for the vibrant and dynamic youth and deliver improved livelihoods for citizens.
Among the speakers this morning were the Justice Minister and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame; the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anim-Yeboah and President Akufo-Addo.
The GBA conference serves as a forum to review activities of the Bar for the past three years and plan for the next three years.
By Annie Wharton Savage