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Abstract
Large fiscal deficits have been a daunting problem for a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa over the past several years. Rapid expansions in expenditure and declining or low revenue levels have been the main cause of fiscal imbalances.1 Recent endogenous growth models have demonstrated that growth can be enhanced by, inter alia, reducing fiscal imbalances, which, in turn, can be achieved by either lowering expenditure or raising revenue.2 However, many countries in the region have reduced expenditure to minimum sustainable levels, especially in health, education, and infrastructure. Thus, raising tax revenue to achieve fiscal sustainability would be a feasible alternative. Also, in order to improve the environment for private sector development and sustained economic growth, governments need to play a supportive role by investing in physical and human capital, and institutional infrastructure. Tax revenue is needed for such expenditure if inflationary financing and the crowding out of the private sector are to be avoided (Hamada, 1994).
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