Bolgatanga, July 26, GNA- Ghanaians have been urged to be more committed to honouring their tax obligations as they demand for social services from Government.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Boniface Agambila gave the advice at the launch of a new product known as VAT Flat Rate Scheme (VFRS) by the VAT Service in Bolgatanga on Thursday.

Under the VFRS, registered retailers of taxable goods shall charge VAT and the National Health Insurance Levy at a marginal rate of 3 per cent on the value of each taxable item sold. A speech read on his behalf said all the basic freedoms that the public cherish and demand could not be achieved in a state without taxes.

He said it was necessary for the tax net to be widened to cover as many potential taxpayers as possible. He expressed dismay about the way many Ghanaians viewed the activities of revenue collection agencies as nuisance and pointed out that this was rather unfortunate. He said the people should know that the most basic conditions upon which a modern state survives was by the payment and collection of taxes.

Mr Agambila urged all Ghanaians to co-operate and pay their taxes especially the new VFRS to help accelerate the development of the nation.

The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Nsoh Amoah, appealed to the operators of VFRS to let accountability and transparency be their watchword and said the success of the Scheme would largely depend on them.

He urged the VAT service to constantly organise seminars and training workshops to educate and sensitise the general public on the need to honour their tax obligations and also reward traders who remit regularly in tax payment.

In his welcome address, the Regional Head of the VAT Service, Mr Abdul Rahim Suala, explained the introduction of the VFRS was scheduled to begin in September this year and that it would widen the tax net and generate enough income for the acceleration of the Nation's development. Mr Suala said his outfit had drawn up educational programmes on the VFRS for both registered retailers and the general public and urged the public to co-operate with the Vat Service to ensure that the system becomes operational.