Deputy Minority leader in Parliament James Klutse Avedzi has charged Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, to drop the lazy approach to taxing and go after people who should pay tax.
According to him, there are about 9 million Ghanaians that earn income and must pay direct tax to the government and yet it is only 2.4 million who pay tax.
He argued it is the job of the Ministry of Finance to chase the 6.8 million Ghanaians who, though earn income but do not pay the appropriate tax.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday after Parliament adjourned Sine Die without considering the controversial E-levy, the Deputy Minority leader questioned why the government is so keen on the E-Levy rather than follow up on people who earn income through employment, business or investment but do not pay the required tax.
“Why is Ken Ofori Atta not choosing to go that way? He wants to sit in the comfort of his air-conditioned office and tax the lazy way and demand tax on capital,” he said.
According to him, the Momo tax is not something that should be encouraged because taxing money transfer is synonymous to taxing capital and income that has already been taxed.
“If I go to a restaurant to eat there is already a VAT component on the food I purchase. If I use my mobile money account to pay, then I will be taxed again, that is the simple explanation.”
He called on the government and the Minister to rather look at how they can ensure the over six million Ghanaians who do not pay tax do so rather than target money transfers that Ghanaians send to their parents and other family members, which have already been taxed.
The NDC, he said, mean well for Ghanaians that is why the party always goes for what the Ghanaian people want.
He challenged the NPP to listen to what Ghanaians are saying that the Momo tax is not good and drop it, if they mean well for Ghanaians.
Source: Mypublisher24.com