The leader of the Progressive People’s Party, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has supported the call for the Constitution to be amended, especially, to allow Presidents of Ghana to pay taxes.
‘’In my opinion it is wrong for the 1992 Constitution to exempt the President from paying taxes. The First Gentleman and leader of the land must pay tax,’’ Dr Nduom declared. “Article 68(5) of the 1992 Constitution provides that ‘The salary, allowances, facilities, pensions and gratuity [of the President] shall be exempt from tax.’
In yesterday’s edition of the Daily Graphic, the Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of Agogo Traditional Area, Nana Kwame Akouko Sarpong, stated that Ghana required a new Constitution that reflected the realities of the Ghanaian system.
The traditional ruler, who is also a lawyer by profession, explained that the current Constitution was a blend of the Westminister and American systems that had failed to tackle the realities of the Ghanaian situation.
Tax exemption wrong
Dr Nduom, who made the call when he filed his income tax returns at the Ghana Revenue Authority offices at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra yesterday, said in his opinion, the provision in the 1992 Constitution which exempted the President of Ghana from paying taxes was wrong since it denied him or her the moral authority to lead by example asking ‘’subjects’’ to pay their taxes.
According to Dr Nduom, if Ghanaians pay their taxes they would have the moral authority to complain when the taxes were being misused.
Dr Nduom said as taxpayers, they had the right to talk about money used to rebrand the Mass Metro Transport and the outboard motors being distributed to the fishermen with the name of the President embossed on them since it was the taxpayers money.
Income tax returns
Dr Nduom filed his income tax returns at the GRA offices and paid the balance of 44,481.63 on the returns.
In all he paid 146,248.13 on his chargeable income of 596,332.53 for 2015.
Dr Nduom who said the best form of leadership was leadership by example, therefore called on Ghanaians, civil and public servants and especially politicians to file their income tax returns with the GRA as the law required.
Responsibility
He said it was the responsibility of every citizen and tax payer to file his or her income tax returns every year.
The filing of income tax returns, Dr Nduom explained, would show whether one owed the GRA in taxes or the GRA had over-taxed one to enable it to credit the taxpayers of the over-deducted tax.
He also explained that people in leadership position needed to show that it was an obligation not only for those who were working and earning income but also everybody.
Moral authority
According to Dr Nduom, a President who paid taxes had the moral authority to lead from the front and by example. He said when elected by Ghanaians he would push hard and fight for the amendment of the 1992 Constitution for him to continue paying his taxes.
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