Koforidua, Sept 14, GNA - Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, the Deputy Easter Regional Minister, has appealed to staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to guard against corrupt practices and act professionally when collecting taxes.

He also told them to be transparent in all their dealings with tax payers.

Mr Terlabi was speaking at a tax education forum in Koforidua on the Theme Ghana Revenue Authority-A New Face of revenue Administration in Ghana" aimed at educating the participants on the need to pay taxes and to introduce them to the new tax reforms.

He said the theme was appropriate because the socio-economic demands on government kept on increasing and without an integrated approach by Revenue Collection Agencies in revenue mobilization, the national development budget could not be financed.

"The role of the GRA, which comprises of the erstwhile Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Valued Added Tax (VAT) Services in revenue mobilization, cannot be underestimated".

Mr Terlabi said the unification of revenue agencies under one umbrella would relieve tax payers from the arduous task of getting registered with fragmented tax agencies and also save them from the frustration they had to endure in the hands of several auditors.

He appealed to the leadership of the GRA to pay attention to the training needs of its staff as a way of building and enhancing their capacities.

Mr Terlabi noted that payment of tax by taxpayers was a difficult task and therefore advised the staff to educate them on why they must pay a particular form of tax and the rationale behind the payment.

"Admittedly, taxes are paid for the total development of the nation, but the tax payers must be made aware, educated and sensitized on the reason why a particular form of tax is being slapped on them".