Opinion
polls must be based on scientific measurements - Kanga
IRS management seminar opens in Kumasi
Opinion
polls must be based on scientific measurements - Kanga
IRS management seminar opens in Kumasi
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 March 2000
Opinion
polls are useful means for the electorate to determine the chances of
candidates in an election but they could be misleading if not based on
scientific measurements, Mr David Adeenze Kanga, Deputy Electoral Commissioner,
Operations, said on Friday.
"We will, therefore, expect the press
to be very careful in their use of such reports. Let us remember that we have
many illiterates and half-educated people for whom anything in print is a
fact."
Mr Kanga gave the caution at a workshop
in Accra for newsmen under the theme, "Understanding the electoral
process." It was meant to educate them on important steps in electoral
reporting.
He said any candidate, who has a "false
high score" in an opinion poll would not be willing to accept the results
of an election that declares him or her a loser.
Mr. Kanga emphasised that elections are
meant to serve as mechanisms for resolving political rivalry, saying that in
Ghana they are held under very charged atmospheres of high suspicions and
unverified perceptions.
"In that case we have to be extra
vigilant in our coverage of political campaigns. We need to do reflective
journalism if we are not to escalate an already charged atmosphere."
Professor Ernest Dumor, a member of the
Commission, noted that newsmen have "an unassailable influence on the
shaping of knowledge and opinion of the people."
"Lack
of the appropriate knowledge on the part of the people could, therefore, create
gaps in the desire to achieve national political goals."
He said the
Electoral Commission is, therefore, committed to work with stakeholders, who
have a role to play in the successful conduct of elections.
Mr. K. Sarfo Kantanka, Deputy
Commissioner, Finance and Administration, Mr. K. Damuah Agyeman, Chief Director
and Mr. H. B. Ampomah, Director Training Department, took turns to educate the
participants on topics relevant to the election process.
They spoke on Election financing,
Highlights of the 2000 presidential and parliamentary elections and
"Revision of the voters' register 2000.
GRi…/
IRS management seminar opens in Kumasi
Kumasi(Ashanti
Region) 20 March, 2000
Mr. George K. Adeyiga, Assistant Commissioner
of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Ashanti, on Friday attributed the low
performance of the Service to lack of resources and inadequate funds.
He said while
the IRS could not achieve its national target the Ashanti Region collected
taxes amounting to 54.8 billion cedis out of a target of 68.8 billion cedis.
Mr Adeyiga
was addressing a two-day management seminar for IRS staff in Ashanti under the
theme "Taxpayer Information A vital tool for widening the tax net for
raising assessment" in Kumasi.
It is also
to review past performance and plan strategies, which would enable IRS to meet
the target of 65 billion cedis for the region.
Mr Adeyiga
said Large Taxpayer Offices (LTO), are to be established in Kumasi, Tema and
Takoradi this year to bring tax assessments from 25 million cedis under one
outfit for special handling.
He said
this would reduce pressure on IRS staff and enable them to go to the field and
"fish for the smaller ones".
The Assistant Commissioner of Taxes stressed
the need for discipline and said delay in or failure to examine accounts and
issuance of tax clearance certificates against the guidelines should be
checked.
On his
part, Mr. Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, Ashanti Regional Minister, stressed the need
for Ghana to be self-reliant.
In a speech
read on his behalf, the Minister said self-reliance could be achieved only when
institutions charged with the collection of revenue are able to meet targets
instead of the country relying on grants and foreign aid.
"To be
able to generate our own funds internally means revenue collecting agencies
should be beefed up to operate effectively".
The
Regional Minister asked the participants to show commitment to their
programmes, which he said should be "tax payer friendly".
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 March 2000
Opinion
polls are useful means for the electorate to determine the chances of
candidates in an election but they could be misleading if not based on
scientific measurements, Mr David Adeenze Kanga, Deputy Electoral Commissioner,
Operations, said on Friday.
"We will, therefore, expect the press
to be very careful in their use of such reports. Let us remember that we have
many illiterates and half-educated people for whom anything in print is a
fact."
Mr Kanga gave the caution at a workshop
in Accra for newsmen under the theme, "Understanding the electoral
process." It was meant to educate them on important steps in electoral
reporting.
He said any candidate, who has a
"false high score" in an opinion poll would not be willing to accept
the results of an election that declares him or her a loser.
Mr. Kanga emphasised that elections are
meant to serve as mechanisms for resolving political rivalry, saying that in
Ghana they are held under very charged atmospheres of high suspicions and
unverified perceptions.
"In that case we have to be extra
vigilant in our coverage of political campaigns. We need to do reflective
journalism if we are not to escalate an already charged atmosphere."
Professor Ernest Dumor, a member of the
Commission, noted that newsmen have "an unassailable influence on the
shaping of knowledge and opinion of the people."
"Lack
of the appropriate knowledge on the part of the people could, therefore, create
gaps in the desire to achieve national political goals."
He said the
Electoral Commission is, therefore, committed to work with stakeholders, who
have a role to play in the successful conduct of elections.
Mr. K. Sarfo Kantanka, Deputy
Commissioner, Finance and Administration, Mr. K. Damuah Agyeman, Chief Director
and Mr. H. B. Ampomah, Director Training Department, took turns to educate the
participants on topics relevant to the election process.
They spoke on Election financing,
Highlights of the 2000 presidential and parliamentary elections and
"Revision of the voters' register 2000.
GRi…/
IRS
management seminar opens in Kumasi
Kumasi(Ashanti
Region) 20 March, 2000
Mr. George K. Adeyiga, Assistant Commissioner
of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Ashanti, on Friday attributed the low
performance of the Service to lack of resources and inadequate funds.
He said
while the IRS could not achieve its national target the Ashanti Region
collected taxes amounting to 54.8 billion cedis out of a target of 68.8 billion
cedis.
Mr Adeyiga
was addressing a two-day management seminar for IRS staff in Ashanti under the
theme "Taxpayer Information A vital tool for widening the tax net for
raising assessment" in Kumasi.
It is also
to review past performance and plan strategies, which would enable IRS to meet
the target of 65 billion cedis for the region.
Mr Adeyiga
said Large Taxpayer Offices (LTO), are to be established in Kumasi, Tema and Takoradi
this year to bring tax assessments from 25 million cedis under one outfit for
special handling.
He said
this would reduce pressure on IRS staff and enable them to go to the field and
"fish for the smaller ones".
The Assistant Commissioner of Taxes stressed
the need for discipline and said delay in or failure to examine accounts and
issuance of tax clearance certificates against the guidelines should be
checked.
On his
part, Mr. Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, Ashanti Regional Minister, stressed the need
for Ghana to be self-reliant.
In a speech
read on his behalf, the Minister said self-reliance could be achieved only when
institutions charged with the collection of revenue are able to meet targets
instead of the country relying on grants and foreign aid.
"To be
able to generate our own funds internally means revenue collecting agencies
should be beefed up to operate effectively".
The
Regional Minister asked the participants to show commitment to their
programmes, which he said should be "tax payer friendly".
GRi../