Abossey Okai sit-strike: We’re not against E-VAT but manual policing – Spare Parts Dealers

The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has announced a sit-down strike scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

This action is intended to emphasise their demand for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to cancel the implementation of the Electronic Value Added Tax (E-VAT) compliance.

The GRA's enforcement team has been conducting visits to the shops and warehouses of association members in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions due to the association's non-compliance with the electronic tax collection system.

The Association clarified that it is not opposed to the introduction of E-VAT but rather the daily deployment of GRA officials to its members' offices.

“We support the government's drive to mobilize more revenue but the way and manner the GRA is going about it is embarrassing”, Mr Takyi Addo, Head of Communication for the Association, said.

They believe that such constant visits give the impression that members are involved in tax evasion.

Mr Takyi Addo stressed that the sit-down strike is aimed at addressing these concerns related to the implementation using manual policing and holding the Ghana Revenue Authority accountable.

Mr Addo made this clarification speaking in an interview with classfmonline.com over the weekend.

The association has urged the public to take note that there will be no business conducted in Abossey Okai, a prominent hub for second-hand car spare parts trading, from November 1 to 3, 2023, as the strike is in progress.