Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia filing his tax returns
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s sense of humour was amply demonstrated when he teased Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba at the launch of the Tax Awareness and Good Governance Week on Friday.
The Vice President reminded Ghanaians of the famous Supreme Court election petition in 2012 when he was one of the leading witnesses for the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the party’s flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Before delivering his keynote address at the tax education launch, Dr Bawumia said, “Justice William Atuguba, representing the Chief Justice…I will say that Your Lordship, today, you and I are here.”
“Your Lordship, today, you and I will file our taxes,” he said to spontaneous laughter from the audience, including Justice Atuguba himself and other ministers of state.
Justice William Atuguba was one of the justices, who heard the electoral case filed by the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) soon after the 2012 polls.
A public servant, who spoke to GNA, but pleaded anonymity, said it showed the beauty of the country’s democracy and urged the supporters and sympathisers of the two leading political parties to work together and avoid acrimony and mudslinging.
“Democracy is about choices, therefore whoever the voting population chooses to lead the nation should be accorded the needed respect and support to propel the nation’s development agenda, he added.
Vice President Bawumia, in his address, said every income earner is obligated under the laws of the country to honour his or her tax to propel the development of the nation.
He said the rolling out of the tax education campaign demonstrate the country’s resolve to fulfilling the vision of the President in moving ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda.
He said to move Ghana Beyond Aid, there was the need to be self-financing to ensure sustainable development.
“All over the world, taxation is the main tool countries rely on to mobilise revenues to develop their economies and provide services to their people. Whatever the developed countries send to us as aid is as a result of their own ability to mobilise domestic resources. As we embark on this journey of Ghana Beyond Aid, it’s imperative to take rigorous and decisive steps to raise enough revenues,” he stated.
Dr Bawumia entreated all well-meaning Ghanaians to join forces to raise domestic tax revenue.
“The filing of tax returns and paying our fair share of taxes is much our constitutional obligation, as it is a necessary requirement to build a good society for ourselves,” Vice President Bawumia pointed out.
The Vice President used the occasion to file his tax returns, which is the assessment of taxes paid from January -December 31, 2017 to encourage Ghanaians to do same.
Tax returns are supposed to be filed by income earners in a year of assessment.
GNA