The programme forms part of the national Tax Sensitisation Month, on the theme: "Know Your Taxes, Grow Your Business."

Mr. George Asare, the Assistant Commissioner, Accra East, Area of GRA, Domestic Tax Revenue Division, said this year, as part of the strategic direction of the GRA, they were opening up to civil societies and partnering with stakeholders. He said at the local level they were also deepening the relationship by visiting associations, market women, and clubs, among others, to ensure that the tax net is expanded.

Mr. Asare said when the tax net was expanded it would help in improving the revenue generation of the country. "The tax burden is just on a few people, as it is being alleged. So this is a way of deepening the awareness and getting more people to enter the tax net so that we can expand the tax base. The first is to identify with them, and then when we identify with them, we create a platform for them to also leverage on and then come to us," he said.

He stated that such educational programmes helped build collaborations and a peaceful relationship
that would enable them to know and address their concerns to make it possible for them to pay their taxes.

He said the GRA had put in some innovations to make payment of taxes easy, indicating that tax was now paid online and tax clearance certificates, which used to be accessed from the offices of the GRA, could now be obtained online.

"We are also leveraging on the e-invoicing to ensure that we do not use the manual invoicing at the VAT invoice, but when you get to any shop, you would be given the commissioner's invoice, which is on the system. So these are some of the innovations that have been brought before in the revenue generation process," he added.

Addressing the traders' concerns about paying taxes in addition to tolls and levies to the district assemblies, he urged the assemblies to enhance their education in this area.

Mr. Asare reminded them that tax payment was a civic responsibility to the state, adding that the tolls were meant for the assemblies to generate funds to clean the place and attend to other things, while the taxes are used by the government for developmental projects, ensuring security, good health, education, and other things.

Ms. Lydia Owusu Banahene, the Office Manager, Tema Community One Taxpayer Service Centre, assured the participants of frequent visits to the market by GRA officers to ensure that they pay their taxes.

Ms. Banahene encouraged taxpayers to use the shortcode *222# to pay their taxes through mobile money, adding that they only needed their Ghana card or tax identification numbers.

During an open forum, the participants questioned why they must pay taxes and why the GRA locked shops for non- payment of taxes even though the shop did not belong to the authority, among other concerns.

Mr. Fred Kwesi Kyei, the Vice Chairman of the Tema Central Market Association, and a tailor, expressed gratitude for the sensitisation, encouraging the public that responsible citizenship comes with the obligation to pay taxes to help in development.

"When we demand better roads from the government, we must also fulfil our obligation to pay taxes," he stated.
He added that "What I will tell GRA is that some people don't know how to pay the tax, so GRA should go to them and explain it for them to understand that the tax is not for the tax collectors but for the government, which is used for water, roads, etc."