The Founder and Leader of the United Party (UP), Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has raised concerns over Ghana's tax compliance culture, stating that a significant majority of Ghanaians and businesses are not paying the right taxes and duties.
In a post shared on his social media platforms sighted by MrImpactful News, the former Minister for Trade and Industry wrote:
"A lot of people in Ghana don't pay tax. From professionals, lawyers, accountants, and architects to artisans, MSMEs, and even importers at our ports, up to 75% don't pay the right duties. How can we build a prosperous nation when we fail to mobilise revenue where it matters most?"
Hon. Kyerematen, who is leading the United Party into the next political chapter after his exit from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said the country's inability to effectively mobilize domestic revenue remains a major obstacle to sustainable development.
According to him, the tax gap cuts across all sectors of the economy - from highly-paid professionals including lawyers, accountants and architects, to artisans, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and importers operating at the country's ports.
His comments come at a time when government continues to face pressure to expand the tax net, improve compliance, and reduce over-reliance on external borrowing to finance development.
Economy watchers have long argued that Ghana's tax-to-GDP ratio, which hovers below the sub-Saharan African average, reflects systemic challenges in collection and enforcement by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Hon. Kyerematen did not provide specific data for his 75% estimate in the post, but his statement has sparked debate online about tax evasion, the informal nature of Ghana's economy, and the fairness of the current tax system.
He suggested that building a prosperous nation will be impossible if Ghana fails to address revenue leakages at the ports and enforce tax compliance across the professional and informal sectors.
As of press time, the post had generated varied reactions, with some users agreeing that enforcement must be strengthened, while others called for reforms to make the tax system more transparent and equitable for small businesses.
The United Party is yet to release a detailed policy document on how it intends to address the revenue mobilization challenge if given the mandate.
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