GRA Cracks Down Nine Retail Shops At Achimota Mall

Some nine retail shops operating in the Achimota Mall have been apprehended by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for non-registration and non-issuance of Value Added Tax (VAT) receipts to customers.

The nine shops, Ara Outdoor Playground, Nady’s Collection, Body Basics, The Hair Village, MV, Life Healthcare Company, Bijou Jewelry, First Choice Hair & Beauty Salon and Gamel Clodin are believed to be part of the several shops that are not registered nor issuing VAT receipts in the Achimota Mall Retail Centre.

Accra Central Enforcement Unit Manager of the GRA, Joseph Annan, who led an enforcement team to the Mall yesterday, said the Authority is aware that a chunk of the shops in the Achimota Mall are not honouring their tax obligations.

“These are the initial nine shops. A lot more of them are hiding in there and are not doing the right thing. We spoke to some of the staff, and there were no indication that they pay their VAT. However, some are paying and doing the right thing but those are few” he said.

The nine companies, Mr. Annan said, have been invited to the GRA head office to write statements coupled with a preemptive assessment by the Authority for investigation to start.

“Once the preemptive is done, these shops will pay for the entire areas before being recommended for full audit. The case will then be handed over to the Authority’s legal unit to take action” he said.

The GRA, Mr Annan disclosed, has been recording some good improvement in payment of VAT through the use of compliance tools including invoice invigilation, test purchases among others.

“Our journey towards end of year is on and we are determined to meet our GH¢80.3 billion target. We appreciate support from the public as we have been receiving some invoices to spur us on in our investigations.”

Warning

Meanwhile it has also indicated it will descend on the hospitality industry during the festive season to clamp down on all event centers, pubs, restaurants and cinemas operating unlawfully.

The Head of Enforcement Unit at the GRA, Accra-Central, Joseph Annan, told the media that, some businesses operating in the mall complied with the laws of the GRA while others disregarded the tax laws.

“We took our search to the Achimota Mall. We visited a number of shops. We are impressed that a number of them are issuing the VAT invoice. However, we still got about nine of them who are either not registered at all or are registered but are doing selective issuance of the invoice”.

Mr. Annan however stated that the enforcement team will embark on a special exercise during the Christmas season by focusing its lenses on the hospitality industry to arrest tax evaders.

“Our officers are already on the field and they are visiting all the event centers. In fact, we have started, and we are hoping to visit as much as many places we can before the year ends”.

“I want to tell the event centers, the pubs, the restaurants, the hotels. Please don’t wait for us to come because I believe it’s quite embarrassing when we come with the cameras and you are being shown to the entire world”, he added.

He, however disclosed that the move is geared towards meeting the revenue target for the year.

“We have seen some good improvement in VAT and other tax types. Compliance tools that is being used like the invoice invigilation and all the other compliance tools that the GRA is using are yielding results”.