Mr. Benedictus Danu, Volta Regional Director of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), on Tuesday urged civil society and non-governmental organizations to help educate especially the small business community on the need for voluntary tax compliance.

Mr. Danu was speaking at a tax education workshop in Ho organized by Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) for members of the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) in the Volta Region.

The workshop, an initiative of the GII in collaboration with the Christian Aid Ghana and Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), was also to create the platform for accountability by the GRA to facilitate tax compliance.

Mr. Danu, said non-governmental organizations are very critical stakeholders in educating the small business sector operators to voluntarily comply with their tax obligations.

He said voluntary tax compliance was beneficial to both the state and the tax payer because “there are personal and general benefits available to the enterprises and their owners who do business with the revenue agencies.”

It also enables the government to maximize its revenue, therefore carry out its obligations to the citizenry.

Mr. Danu said over 52 Tax Payer offices were being created to meet the needs of small businesses which constitute the largest business group in the country.

He explained that current reforms in the country’s tax administration was aimed at widening the tax net and improving efficiency.

He said the rate of tax being paid by the business community has been decreasing progressively rather than increasing.

Mrs Mary Awelana Addah, Senior Programme and Research Officer of GII, said the workshop which is part of a series for GAWE members in 18 districts in the country, sought to strengthen vulnerable groups to come to terms with the need to pay tax.

It also aims to provide skills and training to the youths and women to enhance the growth of their enterprises.**