Award-winning gospel musician, Diana Hamilton, has voiced her discontent with Ghana’s taxation system for organized events. During her appearance on United Showbiz on Saturday, February 10, 2024, Hamilton highlighted her experience hosting events in both the UK and Ghana, emphasizing the stark contrast in how these two countries tax event organizers.
Hamilton, renowned for her exceptional talent in the gospel music industry, expressed her dissatisfaction with the current taxation system in Ghana. Drawing from her personal experience, she compared the tax regulations in the UK and Ghana, shedding light on the significant disparities between the two.
In her insightful remarks, Hamilton highlighted the need for a more equitable and transparent taxation system for event organizers in Ghana. She emphasized the importance of creating an environment that fosters growth and development within the entertainment industry, while also ensuring that taxation policies are fair and reasonable.
“I have the privilege of hosting events in the UK and Ghana. If I hold an event in the UK, all the monies accrued will go into my account. I make all my withdrawals, and at the end of the year, I get taxed on my profits. And if I make a loss, I do not get taxed.
“But in Ghana, when I am hosting an event, the GRA officials won’t check anything; all they do is stand at the entrance and count the number of people entering the hall and they tax you. With or without complimentary tickets, as long as anyone enters the hall, they will count everyone and tax you on that without taking into consideration the venue, cost of production, and all that,” she told show host MzGee.
Diana Hamilton said that she hoped that the authorities would look into this issue and find a solution that would be beneficial for both the event organizers and the government.
“I’ve had the privilege of doing both, and I hope we look into this and a solution will be found,” she said.
She said that she loves hosting events in Ghana and she wants to continue doing so, but she also wants to be treated fairly.
