Wa, April 27, GNA - The Upper West Regional Office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), on Wednesday launched a special exercise aimed at promoting the voluntary filing of annual tax returns.

Under the exercise, tax payers would be encouraged to collect, fill and submit their annual tax returns for assessment.

Speaking at the launching of the exercise, which coincided with this year's "Revenue Week" from April 25th to the first of May, Mr Joseph Kwabena Oppong, Upper West Regional Head of the IRS, said taxpayers were expected to fill and submit their tax returns before May first adding that, 40 forms had been collected.

Among the first to submit their returns were the Kaleo Naa, Paramount Chief of the Kaleo Traditional Area who is also the Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, Mr George Hikah Benson, Deputy Regional Minister and Mr David Yakubu, the Regional Coordinating Director. Mr Oppong urged taxpayers to endeavour to honour their tax obligations voluntarily on time as their social responsibility. Mr Benson, who also spoke at the ceremony also emphasised the importance of tax revenue to the state and said that if Ghanaians were to meet their tax obligations regularly, it would reduce government's dependence on donor and international financial institutions for support to balance the national budget.

He urged the IRS to cast its net wider to rope in many people who were earning from their businesses, but were not paying tax. Mr Benson noted that the government needed resources to meet its obligations to the people in the provision of schools, health care and infrastructure.