Ghanaians Resist Taxes Due to Politicians’ Excessive Benefits – Martin Kpebu

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has attributed the reluctance of Ghanaians to pay taxes to the extravagant perks enjoyed by politicians.

Speaking on The Keypoints on March 15, Kpebu argued that the public perceives politicians as benefiting excessively from state funds, making citizens less willing to comply with tax policies.

“The main issue with our tax system is that ordinary Ghanaians believe politicians take too much from the public purse,” he stated.

He highlighted the luxurious lifestyle of political figures, which contrasts with the economic struggles of the average citizen.

“Look at the cars—V8s, pickups, saloons—plus travelling allowances, imprest… politicians receive too many benefits. This discourages the ordinary person from wanting to pay taxes,” he added.

Kpebu urged the government to first tackle corruption and eliminate wasteful expenditures before expecting compliance with tax policies.

“People feel that politicians are making too much money. Don’t overburden us with taxes,” he stressed.

He also backed the removal of the Electronic Levy (E-Levy), arguing that it disproportionately affects low-income earners.

“At the heart of the E-Levy debate is the fact that it mostly impacts the poor. If those who file taxes are exempt, then the burden shifts unfairly to the underprivileged. That is unacceptable,” he said.

Kpebu called for a fairer tax system that does not exclude the economically disadvantaged, emphasizing the need for tax education and voluntary digital self-assessment before implementing new levies.