State-owned agencies and departments participate in GRA tax returns clinics

Mark-Donald Pwawari, Manager for Small Taxpayer office in Bolgatanga has commended State-Owned Agencies and Departments, individuals and organisations for participating in the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) taxpayer returns clinics.

He said institutions in the health sector, education, private organisations and individuals among others participated in the clinics and picked forms for their employees to fill for their personal tax returns among others.

Mr Pwawari made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga and noted that the clinics were part of measures to bring the taxpayer returns system closer to the citizenry to enable them honour their tax obligations by coming to the GRA post stations at vantage points to file their tax returns as mandated by law.

Mr Pwawari said paying tax was an important component in man’s life as it was the central point that could foster rapid development for the people in the community, adding that a community could only develop when all its members contributed.

He indicated that in the olden days, hunters were obliged to give part of the games they harvested during hunting to the Chief or the landlord as part of their tax to the community and said the citizens should not see tax as a new invented measure by government to cheat the people.

He said collectively contributing resources such as money to provide basic socio-economic amenities for the wellbeing of the people was normal and should therefore be hailed.


Mr Pwawari said when the citizenry fulfilled their constitutional mandate by paying their tax, there would be enough funds in government coffers to build health facilities to serve the health needs of the people, provide educational facilities, improve on the road network and inject enough funds to project the local economy.

He pointed out that it was beneficial for one to pay tax on time, because the person stood to benefit certain reliefs such as personal tax relief, which allowed government to exempt one from certain taxations or reduce one’s tax contributions every month.

Mr Pwawari explained that government would grant the taxpayer personal tax relief when the person had some responsibilities including; marriage, children and old age among others to perform, which would however be calculated to reduce the tax burden on the taxpayer.

He charged parents and the school community to inculcate in the children the spirit of tax paying so that they would grow to keep it.