IRS launches revenue collection task force

Accra, July 16, GNA - A 32-member revenue mobilization tasked force constituted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect taxes from defaulters was on Monday inaugurated in Accra. The task force, which would be replicated in other regions, is mandated to use "coercive force" to collect revenue from recalcitrant taxpayers.

Major (Rtd.) Daniel Abloh-Quarcoo, Commissioner of IRS, who inaugurated the task force, said the exercise was to remind taxpayers of their obligation to honour tax payment. He noted that a series of demand notices, and even final notices, had been served on clients to settle their tax liabilities, but most of them did not oblige. IRC was therefore left with no alternative than apply the law.

The Commissioner said there was no intention whatsoever to cause harassment to anyone but to ensure that the law governing payment of tax was adhered to by all manner of people irrespective of who they were. "Those who will prove too difficult in the course of this exercise will be arraigned for prosecution," he warned.

Mr Ablorh-Quarcoo noted that the intention of the service was to improve upon the revenue base of the country and generate more revenue for government expenditure and other recurrent costs. It was also part of the education process to let people understand the options applicable to the revenue service in terms of revenue collection.

Mr Theophilus Gaskin, Coordinator of the Task Force, said the measure was to maximise revenue collection for socio-economic development.

He noted that the inability of developing countries to enforce their tax laws had drastically reduced revenue, thereby slackening economic growth.

"Ghana is no exception. The service is determined to reverse this misfortune by improving on enforcement capability." Mr Gaskin said last year, the task force's work yielded a direct collection of GH=A2 3.291 million (32.913 billion cedis). He said there was the need for revenue gathering departments to be adequately equipped with armoury of coercive powers to deal with recalcitrant defaulters.

Mr Gaskin called on the task force to be courageous and demonstrate a high sense of commitment to enable them to achieve much more success in this year's operation.