ACCRA: GRA Switch Gears, Begins VAT Invigilation Exercise At Night (PICS+VIDEOS)

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has switched gears, as it began an evening Value Added Tax (VAT) Invigilation Exercise in some parts of Accra.

According to GRA, the move was aimed at checking and arresting persons who fail to issue VAT invoices to their clients after rendering various services.

Addressing Journalists after the exercise, Area Manager of Enforcement and Debt Management, Accra Central Area Office, Joseph Annan said "So far we have done some work in the day with the media, so we decided to do something in the night. We have our men all over working. We have a tall list of places we have visited who are not doing the right thing and we have just started the night, we will be doing more nights against the days so that at least no body will be spared"

"We visited 'The Alley' Bar and 'Poki House. We decided to do some more work on the parentive assessment in the day so that we will have some time for the nights"

Touching on the violations identified after the tour, Mr. Annan said "Once you are registered to charge VAT, Section 41 of the VAT Tax mandates you to issue the VAT invoice or an appropriate invoice sanctioned by the Commissioner-General. So once you have not done that, you have committed an offence"

"So when we come, we look at your records of account, if you are using the machine, then we will try and retrieve something so that we can assess you parentively and what it means is that you have to pay immediately but obviously, there will be a full audit when investigations are done and the CID who is with us, will investigate the case"

He stressed that once investigations are done, the case will be handed over to GRA's legal unit who will prosecute the cases in court.

Responding to why some arrests were not made after Friday's night operation, Mr. Annan noted that his men applied 'human face' hence no arrest.

He said "That is true. We arrest and should arrest at all times but as human as we are, it is night and we feel we must apply some 'human face' to what we do, after all they are not criminals. So we have invited them to the Police Station and on Monday, we will take their statements and then investigations will commence"

The Area Manager of Enforcement and Debt Management noted that failure on the part of the pub owners will warrant fiscal arrest.

"Then there will be fiscal arrest because we already have their details. As you can see we took inventory which we are taking to the office. They were signed with their names and telephone numbers on that sheet so we have a way of reaching them"

The Ghana Revenue Authority says it will not relent on the operation rather it will ensure that the citizenry abide by rules and regulations.

Friday's operation saw the GRA storm 'The Alley' Bar, Labone and Poki House, Airport Residential Area, both in Accra.

Below are some pictures and videos:

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith