You have no right to cry for good roads, potable water when you don’t pay taxes – Ursula

The Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has issued a stern warning to the Ghanaian who does not pay taxes.

According to the minister, it is not right for anybody to cry for goodies when they don’t provide the catalysts.

In an interaction with Oyerapa TV, she explained that good roads, potable drinking water, good networks and all the good things one can think of enjoying in the country do not come by just requesting for them.

She further stressed that the government can only provide the basic necessities for the nation when the citizens contribute their quota by paying taxes.

“We are all crying about the hardships in the country. As it stands now, we are unable to finance our debts. So, we need to pay for our development. You can’t cry for a road, electricity, water and good network; where do we go for the money from? If you don’t get the money through taxes, where will you get it from?

“The only way to finance your development anywhere in the world is through either taxation, through dividends citizens pay to the government or through loans. That’s my little knowledge about that. So, if you don’t want to pay taxes, you don’t want the government to also borrow, where will the government get money to finance development,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Amoah, ahead of the 2024 budget presentation by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, shared that the ruling government should increase taxes.

He noted that the best way to stabilise the economy as it stands is by increasing taxes.

In an interview with GhanaWeb Business on his expectations ahead of the 2024 Budget to be presented by the finance minister in Parliament today, he said, "If I were the Finance Minister, there should be an increase in taxes. You see, our brothers from the NDC, they know that the only way out now to restore and consolidate our fiscal policy is to generate revenue internally."

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