Chief Justice, others pay tax - Judicial Secretary

The Chief Justice, Supreme Court Judges and all other Superior Court Judges under Article 71 public officers have been paying taxes to the state.

This assertion could be verified from the offices of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.

This confirmation, issued by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong, was in reaction to a news item carried on page 18 of  Tuesday, March 18, 2014 edition of  the Daily Graphic with the headline: “Our Prez Must Pay Tax - Nduom”. 

A portion of the story reported under the sub theme; Draft Bill, quoted Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) as saying, “One item that excites me is that the draft bill contains a provision that will require the President, the Vice President and other Article 71 public office holders, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, justices of the Supreme Court, (sic) the Chairman and members of the Council of State and members of Parliament to pay tax to the state, he stated.” 

Justice Poku-Acheampong also drew attention to a similar story which was an interview with the Chairman of the CRIC, Professor E.V.O Dankwa, which was on page  three of the same paper published on Monday, March 17, 2014 with the headline: “Dealing with Entrenched Provisions, Draft Bill Ready”.

It was also reported that some new provisions of the bill required that the President, the Vice president and other Article 71 public holders, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice, justices of the Supreme Court, among others, to pay tax (sic).

According to him, the statement issued refutes the impression that the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court Justices do not pay taxes as published in the Daily Graphic.