Alhassan Suhuyini
A National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) has told residents of his constituency not to patronise the Taxpayers Identification Number (TIN) because it would be used to tax them.
Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for the Tamale North Constituency, was on a campaign trail when he made the remarks which many have described as unpatriotic, coming from a lawmaker.
The NDC MP likened the TIN to the obnoxious Land Tax Poll, otherwise referred to ‘lampoo’, by Gold Coasters during colonial rule.
Lampoo Background
Maj Stephen J. Hill, Governor of the Gold Coast, 1851-1854 introduced the Poll Tax Ordinance in 1854 to address the declining returns from revenue but this was abandoned in 1857 after resistance by the people of the Gold Coast.
Dagbani Campaign
He told his audience in Dagbani in a viral video that “we (NDC government) were not making you suffer like you do today. During our time, we weren’t asking you to go and take passport pictures and fill form when we want to give you micro loans but today they are even asking you to do TIN number (sic). Do you know the meaning of TIN number (sic)?”
His audience replied to the leading question in the negative as he quickly jumped in with the following: “So you don’t know its meaning and running around doing it? It is very dangerous than having phone number and birth certificate.”
He added, “They can use TIN number to locate where your grave is because these days when you die, your family has to fill a form before your burial and on that form there is a column you need to put TIN number.”
Inciting Project
The trajectory of his campaign was solely to incite members of his constituency and indeed others against the government using the TIN as a leverage.
He told his audience that there will come a time when those who do not pay their taxes will be denied access to the Free SHS.
MoMo Deduction
“So when your child who is at Agbogboloshie sends you GH¢100 one day through mobile money and you go to withdraw it and they tell you government has taken GH¢20, know that is because you did TIN number,” Alhassan Suhyini said during his inciting mission.
His simple sounding campaigning message was far-reaching; its success being in how much it would discourage the people of Tamale from accessing the TIN.
Critics have wondered why a person with the TIN would embark upon a campaign to discourage his people from doing same.
Uses Of Tax
TIN as a unique identification number is issued to taxpayers and potential taxpayers, the acquisition of which is free.
It is used to pay tax and all tax payers must by law obtained it.
It is one of the requirements for the registration of a business at the Registrar General’s Department. It is also used for the clearance of goods at the ports, registration of lands and acquisition passports.
It is one of the boldest moves yet by government to widen the tax net and to address the emanating revenue loss.
Alhassan Suhuyini Sayibu used to host two political programmes on the pro-NDC radio station ‘Radio Gold’ in Accra.
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By A.R. Gomda