The GRA team at one of the shops
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) tax enforcement unit has arrested five shop managers in the East Legon vicinity for various Valued Added Tax (VAT) infractions.
The unit, during an enforcement exercise yesterday arrested the manager of Electronics shop, Dorklev Enterprise at Okponglo, for selective issuance of VAT while the manager of pool supplies, cleaning and maintenance swimming pool services, Aqua Scape, located at East Legon was arrested for not registering and non issuance of VAT.
Also, managers of 69 Bridge Enterprise, wholesale and retail of drinks, tissues and more shop, and Aqua Professionals Limited at East Legon were arrested for not registering for VAT.
The sales person of Rozy’s Collection located at Legon was also arrested for not registering VAT.
Assistant Commissioner and Head of the Accra Regional Enforcement Unit at the GRA, Joseph Annan, briefing the media after the exercise said the managers and sales girl will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for their statements to be taken for further investigations.
Mr. Annan said for those who were found to have not registered for VAT will be made to register, “and then once they are registered the law talks about going back to when they were supposed to have registered and then we assess them from that time to today.”
He further indicated that for those who have registered but were not issuing the VAT, an audit will be carried out on their books after which they will be charged according to their violations.
Mr. Annan also indicated that the unit has rolled out a number of programmes to make sure that taxpayers comply with the tax laws.
“In July we started with the night market compliance checks because we realized that there are some of the businesses that work at night and a number of them do not report the results for the night business.
So that is what we are doing currently, As I speak to you now, we go out there to also do compliance checks on those who work at night,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri