The Ghanaian Times says no one is exempt from tax obligations. It shares in the worry of President Akufo-Addo in this matter because there are high-profile people who know better than others as to what taxes can do in the development of the country. Interestingly, the President made the revelation at a lawyer’s forum because lawyers are supposed to have the law in their bosom such that they must not do anything that border on its infraction. The Times is therefore at a loss as to why lawyers and other high profile professionals have not been dealt with by the law but being treated with kids gloves. The paper wishes to reiterate all appeal to tax payers, particularly those doing private businesses to fulfil their obligations. It says the law must work now and forever for the country to accrue the needed revenue for national development.
The Daily Graphic joins the call by Crime Check Foundation for government to as a matter of urgency pass the non-custodial Sentencing Bill into law, so that offences such as hawking and open defecation will not attract custodial sentencing. Ironically, the paper notes that officials who fail in their duties to provide service or facilities, which eventually culminates in people contravening the laws of the land go scot-free, while those denied those services and facilities are arrested and imprisoned. For such offences, the paper notes that the country should rather opt for community service for a period to be decided by court so that openly working in a community for an offence committed will serve as a deterrent to others while society will also benefit from such service. The Graphic therefore urges all to support the poor and vulnerable facing prosecution for offences which call for non-custodial other than custodial sentencing.
