Stakeholders at the second edition of the Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT) West Africa International Conference on Tuesday, February 25, have called on their respective governments to institute measures that empower women to pay taxes in order to boost revenue mobilization.
Addressing the press on the sidelines of the conference, the President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana (CITG), Mr. George Ohene Kwatia, emphasized the need to focus on women in revenue mobilisation efforts across developing economies.
Mr. Kwatia highlighted that women, who constitute a large percentage of the population, play a pivotal role in sustaining households and communities.
He argued that the economic contributions of women, particularly in the informal sector, often go unrecognised.
“If we aggregate the efforts of women and translate them into monetary value, we would realise that women contribute significantly to the economy,” he stated.
Mr. Kwatia, who is also the President of the West African Union of Tax Institutes, further suggested that tax policies should be designed to encourage and support women rather than introducing separate taxation frameworks for them.
He stressed the need for balanced fiscal policies that consider the unique challenges women face, such as single parenthood and household financial management.
“We need to implement measures that encourage women to maximise their economic potential. For instance, tax reliefs should be fairly distributed. If a woman is taking care of a household just as a man does, she should receive an equivalent or even higher relief to encourage participation in economic growth,” he added.
The conference, themed “Revenue Generation in Developing Economies: Women’s Contribution to Sustainable Economic Development in West Africa,” brought together tax professionals from across the sub-region to deliberate on strengthening women’s role in economic transformation.
The Chairperson of the Society for Women in Taxation (SWIT) Ghana and Vice-Chairperson of SWIT West Africa, Madam Esi Sam, underscored the importance of empowering women in tax matters and revenue mobilisation.
“Women play a very vital role in the country. Research shows that women form a significant portion of the population and dominate the informal sector,” she stated.
Madam Sam emphasized the need for tax education targeted at women, particularly those engaged in informal sector activities such as trading and sewing, to enhance their contributions to national revenue.
While women in formal employment are already taxed through the Pay As You Earn (P.A.Y.E.) system, she noted that many in the informal sector lack awareness and understanding of tax obligations.
“This is why we believe that, as women, we must always take an interest in educating our fellow women on tax issues. When women understand taxation, they will be more inclined to contribute their quota to national development,” she explained.
She further noted that SWIT, as the female arm of tax institutes across West Africa, is committed to fostering collaboration between Francophone and Anglophone countries.
Bosede Florence Ikhanoba, the SWIT Regional Chairperson for West Africa and the SWIT National Chairperson for Nigeria, emphasized the critical role women play in economic development, particularly in revenue generation.
She highlighted that a significant percentage of women operate within the informal sector, making their contributions and voices essential in shaping policies on economic transition and revenue mobilisation.
She called for greater recognition of women’s influence in policy matters, stressing that their active participation is key to sustainable economic growth.
