Otumfuo is right about taxes but we should tell Nana Addo to stop wasting it - Manasseh Azure

Manasseh Azure Awuni, freelance investigative journalist has said the Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, is right for every citizen in the country to pay taxes which is one sure way by which countries are developed.

Otumfuo's comments come on the back of the controversial 1.75% E-levy on electronic transactions announced by the government in the 2022 budget statement and economic policy.

Speaking at the launch of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Commemorative Gold Coin on Sunday, December 12, 2021, he said there's no country in the world where citizens don't pay taxes.

We have been fortunate in our political journey to have moved on from a period of one political party dominating everything. Today, at least the two main political parties have all been in government. If we are honest, we will agree that there is no perfect government and there will never be as long as we have different points of view.

And if we are honest, we will also agree that there are no people in this world that love paying taxes, and yet there is no other way conceived by the human mind by which government can raise the resources to meet our needs other than by raising taxes. I do not know of any form of taxes that is less painful than others. So at last, government, by all means, would have to raise taxes to meet our needs and if we are good citizens, we will pay our taxes, he said.

But Manasseh Azure believes that the Asantehene is right but the taxpayers hold the government accountable and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to stop wasting the taxes paid and resist bad taxes imposed on Ghanaians.

In a Facebook post, he said: Otumfuo is right about paying taxes. We taxpayers will also be right to tell Akufo-Addo to stop wasting the taxes paid. We should also resist bad taxes.

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