Henry Nana Boakye, NPP National Organiser
The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye Yiadom, has expressed worry over the recent happenings at the Central Business District of Kumasi, stating that the Ghana Revenue Authority must not be oppressive in exercising its mandate.
According to him, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, only encouraged the Ghana Revenue Authority to maximize revenue mobilization, and not to be oppressive on traders.
He charged the GRA to be proactive and professional in its line of duty, thereby helping the country to develop with little or no foreign aid.
Henry Nana Boakye said on Kumasi-based Hello FM that “the Finance Minister has not asked the GRA to use any confrontational means to mobilize taxes. What happened is not a good thing to encourage, so we are asking the GRA to train their staff on productive ways to collect taxes.”
The NPP national officer believes that the government must not be dragged into the matter, adding that the GRA should re-strategize and deliver to expectation.
“It would be prudent for the GRA to render an apology to the affected traders. Why should you do this to the people you have been working with since? And the heart-breaking thing is they are not showing any readiness to address the issue at hand. This is not about politics, the GRA must be up and doing.”
Meanwhile, information available to the Daily Statesman indicates that the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, met with the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and officers from the GRA on the way forward.
On Monday, October 10, 2022, some wholesale and retail shops at the Kumasi central business district protested against rising taxation on some goods, high cost of store rentals and monies charged by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
Some traders locked their shops in retaliation, as directed by the Adum Traders Association, due to the activities of some staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
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