Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has said 85 per cent of Ghanaian adults are currently registered to pay taxes.
This is an increase from the initial four (4) per cent due to the conversion of the Ghana Card numbers to Tax Identification Numbers.
Speaking at the 18th Biennial Youth and Students Assembly Conference of the Methodist Church Ghana at Gomoa Feteh in the Central Region, Dr. Bawumia enumerated the ‘magical prowess’ of the Ghana Card and how it is and would transform Ghana in the shortest possible time.
He says the Ghana Card will set the stage for the New Patriotic Party’s transformational agenda.
“We set out to build a transformed economy by infusing technology. And so we have put in place a number of systems. First is the Ghana card.
“So far over 85% of adults are enrolled on the Ghana Card. Over 16 million people have enrolled. Because of the Ghana Card, we’ve made the Ghana Card number the Tax Identification Number and by so doing, instead of having the 4% of the adult population registered for taxes, now we have 85% adult population registered for taxes,” he noted.
The overwhelming increase of the number of registered tax payers has widened the tax base and would subsequently increase government revenue from taxes.
Speaking further on some of the advantages Ghana will derive from the card, the Vice President listed a couple of mergers with state institutions and how their services would be enhanced.
He noted government is linking the ID with citizens’ NHIS, SSNIT, DVLA, GHS, Controller and Accountant General and the Ghana Police Service amongst others.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com|Ghana
