Blame GRA for Lawyers’ tax evasion – Attorney General

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General Godfred Dame has complained bitterly about the failure of the Ghana Revenue Authority to devise mechanisms to ensure potential taxpayers are brought into the tax net.

He made this complaint while speaking at the ongoing Bar Conference in the Upper East regional capital of Bolgatanga.

To him, if the GRA was up and doing, Lawyers who evade taxes or under-declare their profits would have been brought to book but that has not been the case over the years.

“I must admit that the failure of lawyers in Ghana to discharge their full tax obligations is not entirely their fault. The absence of effective systems by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure that all potential taxpayers are brought into the tax net is majorly responsible,” he said.

Charging that “The GRA ought to devise the appropriate mechanisms for ensuring that the tax net is broadened to its elastic limit in order to bring within it all potential taxpayers including all practising lawyers”.

The Attorney General complained bitterly about Lawyers who live the life of luxury but fail to state truthfully their profits and hampering the growth of the country.

“The luxurious lifestyles of lawyers in riding in the plushest of vehicles and acquiring top-end properties are hardly commensurate with the amount of taxes they pay.”