Management of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has shot down assertions by Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament Assin Central that they want to collapse his business.
The GRA in a statement notes that the claims
circulating on social media in which the accused GRA Officials of constant harassment through unwarranted audits of his companies are false.
In an interview with Sompa FM in Kumasi, Mr Agyapong said attempts were made to collapse his businesses.
He said the GRA is being used for this agenda.
“I am being nice and charitable to NPP (members), they shouldn’t dare me, they shouldn’t dare me,” Mr. Agyapong said in the Sompa FM with Yaw Adu Boakye.
“…I will finish the party, the things I will say. The things I know that I have kept quiet”.
According to the Assin Central Member of Parliament, he has been the victim of a witch-hunt by members of his party since the beginning of the year, alleging that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was being used as a vehicle to intimidate and frustrate his business operations.
But the GRA has described the allegations as false.
“GRA wishes to categorically refute the specific allegation of harassment at a factory under construction owned by the MP. We wish to clarify that as part of GRA’s mandate and in line with World Customs Organization’s (WCO’s) guidelines in ensuring adherence to best practices; such exercises are regularly conducted.
The purpose of such audits, are to measure and improve compliance whiles fine tuning controls. The factory in question together with other companies were thus audited to check the value of goods imported and their intended use. We wish to disclose that in January and February 2023, about thirty (30) of such risk-based activities were carried out on a number of businesses.”
It added “Furthermore, in the area of enforcement and compliance, GRA carries out invoice invigilation exercises to ascertain Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by VAT registered businesses. These exercises entail stationing staff on the premises of VAT registered businesses such as shops, restaurants and manufacturing sites to check the issuance of VAT invoices.
In September 2022, invigilation exercises were intensified nationwide in order to enforce the issuance of VAT invoices and to encourage persons who buy goods and patronize services to demand for VAT invoices. This exercise was very successful and GRA intends to scale up the invoice invigilation exercise from April 2023 as part of its revenue mobilization efforts.
In carrying out all these enforcement and compliance activities, staff of GRA have been advised to remain professional and act at all times with integrity as required by the Authority’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
