The Accra Central Area Enforcement Manager of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Joseph Annan has reiterated that taxpayers who fail to provide VAT invoices are liable to pay a tune of Ghc50,000.
According to him, the GRA mandates all suppliers of taxable items, goods, or services to issue VAT invoices as required by law, and customers to obtain invoices for such transactions.
Section 41 of the VAT Act 2013, (Act 870) as amended by Act 1082 and Act 1087, states that every registered VAT taxpayer is required to issue an electronic VAT invoice with details that are prescribed by the Commissioner-General when they provide services or supply goods.
Investigations by the Authority revealed that some taxpayers were involved in the issuance of false tax invoices or sales receipts, while others had failed to integrate the certified invoicing system into the invoicing system of the GRA Commissioner-General.
“Today, we have been to 12 places. They are all issuing selective invoices which is against the law. Some of the places we went to are not people we can arrest and take to the office, so, we have invited them to the office. But were we had responsible reps of the places we went to we picked them up,” Joseph Annan, Accra Central Area Enforcement Manager, Ghana Revenue Authority said.
Punishment for such infractions as provided under the VAT Act means culprits would be fined a penalty of an amount of not more than GHc50,000 or three times the amount of tax involved.
“Section 58 of the VAT Act talks about the penalty the recent amendment talks about GH 50,000 minimum in addition to what already existed. If you are able to quantify the revenue loss as a result of that infraction a multiple of that assessment is what you will suffer as a penalty,” Mr. Annan added.
He further indicated the GRA as part of the nationwide invigilation would continue to embark on mystery shopping exercises across the country to apprehend culprits evading tax.
“Whatever we do here is not limited to only the places we go to, but everybody will know what we are doing and we are going to continue this through and through, we will never end, because that’s why we are being paid. We are being paid to work, we will never get tired. So as long as we remain GRA staff we will continue to do the needful,” he stressed,
This week’s inspection exercise also led to the arrest of two shop managers who were engaged in various tax infractions.
By: Zoe Anita Odei | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
