GRA closes four shops, urges customers to be voluntary tax compliers

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) compliance and enforcement unit has closed down four businesses for failure to issue Value Added Tax (VAT) invoices of the Authority.

The GRA expects that all suppliers of taxable items, goods or services to issue VAT invoice as required by law while the customer is required by law to obtain VAT invoice from business owners for goods purchased.

The shops were asked to close when the GRA continued with its operations to ensure compliance of issuing of VAT invoices by companies.

The shops closed include Eve’s Panties Wholesale Store, Modern Floors Tiles Shop, Cup of Joy Ventures (Grocery Store) and Qingsong Trading Company Limited, all located in the Weija Gbawe Municipal District in the Greater Accra region.

Mr Joseph Annan, Area Enforcement Manager of GRA in charge of Accra Central, told the Ghana News Agency that the shops were closed due to nonconformity of business owners to issuing the VAT invoice.

He said the operations were part of an ongoing nationwide VAT invigilation exercise by the Authority to retrieve taxes due the state.

“It is as an offence not to issue VAT invoice and the law would take its own direction”.

He said people who flouted the law could be charged under sections 78 and 82 of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915) that focused on failure to comply with a tax law and impeding tax administration, respectively.

Mr Annan said the GRA would visit all previous culprits from September, 2022 through to date to ensure continued cooperation, adding that business owners failure to continue the process would be handed over to the police.

According to Mr Annan paying taxes on time was the most effective and efficient way of demonstrating your dedication to the country’s growth since it showed that the inhabitants of the nations from which Ghana’s government borrowed were honouring their debts.

He urged the public to play their patriotic role as citizens of Ghana by issuing VAT invoices voluntarily, and added that the public and taxpayers to report any tax infractions to the GRA for necessary actions to be taken.

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse, business men should know the revenues they are to pay before setting up their companies and institutions,” he added.