GRA shuts down offices of two companies (Friday, August 16, 2013, pg 23)


Officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority locking up the offices of some of the companies that are not paying tax. Picture: GABRIEL AHIABOROfficials of the Ghana Revenue Authority locking up the offices of some of the companies that are not paying tax. Picture: GABRIEL AHIABORThe Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA),  yesterday shut down the offices of  Abraham Construction and Electricals Limited (ACEL), because it issued cheques that were always dishonoured.

Two other companies — Viasat Broadcasting Ghana Limited (VGBL) and K. Asenso Limited, managed to pay GH¢ 123,236 and GH¢ 2,937 respectively to meet their tax obligations.

According to Mr Henry Sam, a Senior  Revenue Officer of the GRA,  ACEL owed GH¢16,582 in taxes for which it issued three cheques on September 30, 2012; October 30, 2012 and November 30, 2012, but all of them bounced.

The GRA official said the authority was compelled to shut down the company because all its attempts to get the company’s officials to honour their tax obligations did not yield any fruit.

Section 34(2) of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, 1998 (Act 546) and Section 136 of the Internal Revenue Service Act 2,000 (Act 592) mandate the GRA to take possession of the assets of companies  that fail to meet their tax obligations and sell them to offset the debt.

When the team arrived at the offices of the ACEL at Kokomlemle in Accra, only a secretary was in the office. When her attempt to reach her boss failed, the GRA officials sealed off the office.
 
K. Asenso Limited had to pay GH¢2,937 after a tax audit of its operations so the managing director of the company issued a cheque for the amount.

Mr Sam said the GRA would continue to pursue all companies that had failed to pay their taxes and, therefore, urged all companies that defaulted in the payment of their tax obligations to pay up or face the consequences.

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