Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has spoken about taxes
He avers that taxes are a necessary pain
Journalist Manasseh agrees with the monarch but also criticises bad taxes
Investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni agrees with a recent statement on taxation by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The King of Ashanti kingdom made commented about the pain of paying taxes but the imperative of doing so in order to allow government fiscal space to operate.
His views were made on December 12, 2021, at the Manhyia Palace during the launch of commemorative gold coins as part of the last Akwasidae of this year.
Manasseh believed that the monarch is right but he also believes that government must avoid wastage of taxes collected and also avoid introducing what he called bad taxes.
“Otumfuo is right about paying taxes. We taxpayers will also be right to tell Akufo-Addo to stop wasting the taxes paid. We should also resist bad taxes,” Manasseh stated in a Facebook post on December 14.
What Asantehene said about taxation
“Today, at least, the two main political parties have all been in government. If we are honest, we will agree that there is no perfect government and there will never be, as long as we have different points of view.
“And, if we are honest, we will also agree that there are no people in this world that love paying taxes, and yet there is no other way conceived by the human mind by which government can raise the resources to meet our needs other than by raising taxes.
“I do not know of any form of taxes that is less painful than others. So, alas, the government, by all means, would have to raise taxes to meet our needs and if we are good citizens, we will pay our taxes.”