Evaluating taxation’s dual impact on business and social development: A case study of the Cape Coast metropolis in Ghana

Abstract

Tax revenue is an important public asset that contributes significantly to a nation’s economic development. The primary function of every government is to make provision in terms of infrastructure facilities, development, and better living conditions for its people. Due to the government’s limited resources, it is necessary to impose taxes on all residents and businesses to strengthen its financial situation because it is impossible for it to carry out this large task in an effective manner. Governments have always passed numerous tax laws, and they have been amended to withstand the test of time. Therefore, this study’s goal is to determine whether taxes have an impact on economic development in the Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana. The study used the quantitative approach, survey technique, and questionnaire for the data collection process. A sample size of 115 respondents comprising the staff of the domestic tax revenue division’s workforce and owners of registered SMEs were engaged in the study. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 26. The results indicated that the majority of the staff of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) considered payment of tax as beneficial to the state while few of the staff did not consider payment of tax as beneficial to the state. In addition, the study outcomes show that respondents are aware of the extent to which tax revenue can be used by the government for economic development. Furthermore, the researchers recommended that the head of GRA create a strong regulatory framework to monitor how tax money is used for economic growth. They should also make an effort to ensure that the tax revenue generated will be wisely used for the growth of the metropolis. This will make taxpayers appreciate the need to pay their taxes because they know they will benefit from it in the end in the form of social and economic developments.