GRA shuts down Chinese foam factory

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday closed down the premises of Huantian Deli Ghana, a Chinese Manufacturing Company, for its inability to produce documents covering their operations.

At the time of the visit of the GRA officials, the company, which produces foam mattresses, was in full operation on the premises while trucks were loading the mattresses to transport to Kumasi.

The officials were unable to produce the certificate for commencement of work and permits from Ghana Standard Authority and Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr Maxwell Tsatsu, Assistant Commissioner, Enforcement and Compliance Unit of GRA, said the authority had been monitoring the activities of the company for some time now.

He said although the company had Value Added Tax receipt, it had never been used to cover the sales of items.

He said the company claimed it has been in operations for just three months, yet import documentation showed it had been around since November 2012 and even for a much longer period.

Mr Tsatsu said apart from evading taxes, the company had also mis-labelled the chemicals used in its operations in order to pay less tax, adding that, GRA would carry out an investigation and come out with the appropriate sanctions.

The GRA will also investigate the circumstances in which 10 new trucks imported by the company were declared and cleared as second hand vehicles.

Meanwhile, Mr Edward Kofi Owusu, Assistant Controller, Ghana Immigration Service, said the passport of one of the Chinese, Han Hui, showed that he entered the country on March 31, this year, on an emergency entry visa and had since not extended his stay.

Besides, Mr Han has no resident and work permit.

Mr Owusu said the Immigration Service would investigate how they came into the country.