CID preparing docket for prosecution of VAT offenders – GRA

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that the Criminal Investigations Department(CID) of the Ghana Police Service is currently preparing the docket to begin the prosecution of all defaulting companies cited for various Value Added Tax (VAT) infractions.

This follows distress exercises conducted during the festive season to enforce VAT compliance as part of measures to improve revenue collection for the state.

The Head of Enforcement Unit at the Accra Central of the GRA, Joseph Annan told Joy Business the culprits will be sent to court to face the law.

He assured that the GRA will work closely with the CID to set good examples that will deter business owners from evading taxes.

“Currently, the CID is putting together a docket and once that is done, it will be forwarded to our legal unit for possible prosecution”, he affirmed.

Mr. Annan stated that, offenders who obliged to a call by the GRA after an invitation are complying with the tax laws.

He maintained that the authority will not renege on its duties, but will enforce the tax laws fairly and firmly to rake in the targeted revenue for national development.

He stated that the core mandate of the GRA is to collect taxes and not necessarily waste time and funds.

This, he said is crucial to the operations of the GRA, hence the provision of penalties to ensure that offenders are given an opportunity to redeem themselves.

“Those that we invited to our offices are complying. We have raised our assessment and all of them have paid in accordance with the law”, he said.

The GRA, as part of its operations to improve revenue collection commenced a series of exercises that saw the authority visit quarry sites in the country to enforce the VAT laws.

The authority in December, 2022 during the festive season also embarked on an exercise in the tourism and hospitality enforce the E-VAT laws.