Mr. Harry Sawyerr, Minister of Education has asked members of the Ghana Institute of Taxation (GIT), to educate the public on government fiscal policies.

Members, he said could do that effectively by organising symposia, seminars, lectures, and workshops, among other programmes and activities. Mr. Sawyerr made the call on Tuesday when he addressed a forum organised by the council of the institute as part of its activities for this year's Tax Week celebration.

The occasion also coincided with presentation of certificates to newly-trained graduands of the institute. The Minister told members of the institute that as experts of their chosen profession, their advice was invaluable to government.

"An institute of taxation is the appropriate institution to assist government in matters relating to the formulation of tax policy and the implementation of government fiscal policies'', he said.

Mr. Sawyerr further charged members to strive to ensure that GIT makes an impact in the Ghanaian business sector ``so that it will be seen as the first port of call for investors, both local and foreign, to acquaint themselves with non-partisan, unbiased assessment of the tax environment in the country''.

That, the Minister felt, could be done through instituting counselling and consultancy services to advise payers and investors on their rights and obligations under the various tax laws of the country.

Mr. Sawyerr pledged his Ministry's preparedness to assist GIT to play its meaningful role in society. He told the newly qualified tax professionals that the best of their professionalism had now begun, saying: ``The real test is how to apply the acquired knowledge to help your country. You are to keep abreast with the ever changing in line with government's annual fiscal policies and budgets''.

In that regards, Mr. Sawyerr urged the institute to run continuous professional education courses for its qualified members from time to time.

Mr. Francis Tweneboa, president of GIT and chairman for the function, said the students' fora had come to stay. Mr. Geofrey Oteng-Arthur, out-going president of the student' society of the institute, thanked his colleagues for their co-operation and hoped same would be accorded his successor.

The Minister, who was later decorated as patron of the students' society with kente stole, distributed certificates to the new graduands.