Appeal to Government to introduce National ID cards

Kumasi, Jan. 30, GNA-An appeal has been made to the government to expedite action on the introduction and implementation of the national Identification (ID) cards.

Mr. Opoku-Agyemang Prempeh, Managing Director of Lakayana company, a Revenue Generation and Collection Firm, said the national ID cards were crucial not only for voting purposes but also for data and background information of citizens, and should therefore, be given the needed attention.

Mr. Prempeh made the appeal when he addressed a day's seminar, on the relevance of revenue collection and generation, for virgins clubs drawn from the Kumasi metropolis in Kumasi on Saturday.

He said apart from serving as means of identifying citizens and ascertaining their background, the national ID cards could also serve as a mechanisms in broadening the revenue collection base of the country.

"It will facilitate the revenue collection drives of the customs, excise and Preventive service (CEPS), Internal Revenue Service(IRS) and the Value Added Tax(VAT) service", he stressed.

Mr. Prempeh also made it clear that involvement of the private sector or private revenue collecting agencies in revenue collection was vital since it would help increase revenue mobilisation.

"All efforts at broadening the revenue collection net of the country, be it through capacity building of the public revenue collecting institutions or increase in staff positions, would come to nought without involvement of such private revenue collecting Agencies in the exercise", he added.

Mr. Prempeh observed that it was the private revenue collecting agencies, who closely identify with taxable individuals and companies, irrespective of their locations, and could therefore, bring pressure to bear on them to pay up their taxes and levies.

He noted that since such private revenue collecting agencies would be earning commission,

"they will go all out to ensure that they reach out to all taxable people and organisations, no matter the remoteness of their locations so as to increase their commission."