Charles Kusi Appiah Kubi, the Executive Secretary of Ashanti Business Community, has stressed the need for tax policies to be more considerate of businesses.
“Any policy that has to do with the business people must be designed with the business people, and that policy must sit well with the business people,” he said on The Point of View.
Some businesses in Kumasi have closed their shops to customers for the past three days in protest of the uneven implementation of the Value Added Tax.
The protesting businesses have complained that the tax structure and its administration do not support the features of the fast-moving goods market.
They also said the lack of VAT compliance means the compliant businesses are competing with fellow businesses offering cheaper prices.
Mr. Appiah Kubi urged the government to be mindful of the greater good of the economy.
“We did not set up our businesses because we want to pay tax. We set up businesses because we want to grow our economy, and when our businesses get better, that is when we can pay taxes.”
While taxes have been described as necessary as the government seeks to widen the tax net, Mr. Appiah Kubi warned that “some bitter pills can kill. It is not every bitter we must take.”
