The Ghana Revenue Authority Workers Union (GRAWU) has expressed dislike over the recent comments made by the vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on tax.
In an open address, the veep Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said GRA is harassing taxpayers.
According to members of GRAWU, they find the statement unfortunate.
“We have observed and listened with utter dismay and disbelief reports on media platforms regarding pronouncements made by the Vice President to the effect that “GRA is harassing taxpayers and businesses.” We would like to state unequivocally that, we the workers of GRA find this statement unfortunate and consider it as an attack on the efforts of the hard-working staff of the Authority which if not discontinued, would incur the displeasure of workers, disrupt revenue collection efforts and breed industrial disharmony,” they said in a press release dated March 22.
It would be recalled that on March 20, while addressing members of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a forum to seek their input into his manifesto for the 2024 elections, Dr. Bawumia attributed the current situation where businesses are made to pay numerous taxes to the GRA’s practice of setting unrealistic targets for its officers.
“They are harassing businesses. That harassment is coming from the sort of target that are created at their office. They are setting unrealistic targets. And this is because the tax base is so narrow you say to them, this is your target for this month, and they are trying to figure out where do I go?
“Then for them, it is very easy, you go back to where you had it the last time. You go to taxpayers, the people who are already paying taxes and then you have to come up with a new reason why they should pay more and so you come up with all sorts of stuff,” Dr Bawumia said.
