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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Need an Auto Loan? Monday, April 2, 2012, pg 20

KOJO  wakes up at 3 a.m. everyday to avoid being caught up in the long queue at the lorry park and he wished this could be over soon. Ama is always late for work. Her excuse? Besides having to take care of her family’s needs every morning, she lives too far away from her work place and its hellish getting a car to the office. Michael has tons of bills to pay monthly, yet he is tired of boarding trotros and taxis to the office.. He has lost several important documents and even money on some occasions in the unreliable public transport. In all the above scenarios, the characters will certainly welcome their own cars; if they can afford one. But what if the costs of the cars are beyond them?  Well! That is why the banks and other financial institutions are available to help. But it is not that simple. As the demand for cars increase, some banks have developed loans mainly for the purchase of cars. So bingo! Auto loans are the answer. But who qualifies for an auto loan? Every...
Read more

Spiritual healers, men of God take over billboards, Monday, September 17, 2012, pg 32

Image
SPIRITUAL healers have virtually taken over space of billboards across the country. This new trend is gradually overshadowing billboards of businesses, which used to be their preserve. From domineering larger-than-life structures through to miniature signposts, the traditional priests and priestesses, mallams and other traditional healers are competing for space with churches and the business community. Billboards advertising churches and shrines are on the increase along highways across the country, sometimes obstructing pedestrians and motorists alike. Advertisers Association of Ghana (AAG) figures estimate the minimum cost of producing a billboard at GH¢3,000 while the most priced is GH¢80,000. Proof that religion is a booming business in Ghana can be found in the increasing number of signposts and billboards advertising temples, churches and shrines promising career success, wealth, status in society, good marriages and problem-free visa acquisition, as well as booming b...
Read more