Geoffrey Ocansey, Tax Analyst and Executive Director of Revenue Mobilisation Africa has asserted that Ghana is a wealthy country but poorly managed. During the Oxfam Tax Dialogue themed “Is Ghana’s Tax Regime Fit for Purpose?” on Citi TV on Thursday, he told host Vivian Kai Lokko, “We are only a poorly managed country.”
He emphasised the necessity for the country to reduce expenditure and effectively manage its debts. Mr Ocansey also highlighted the need for the country to transition from mere rhetoric to concrete actions in the fight against corruption. He also described Ghana’s tax system as equitable, acknowledging that the country has a fair tax system but emphasising the need to address deficiencies in tax collection and allocation processes to maximize revenue utilization.
“We have an okay tax regime, to be fair. When you look at the number of tax handles that we have as a country, we have one of the most wonderful tax structures in Africa, but the problem has always been how we go on the field and apply what we have on paper.”
“The problem is how we put it in the kit and that is where we need to properly put the blame. My problem is, let us segregate the roles played in the collection channel so we know what the taxes are used for because people complain that they do not see what their taxes are used for,” he stated.
By: Abigail Arthur
