The Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) is yet to meet its domestic tax collection target for the Greater Accra Region which is pegged at over seven million Ghana cedis.
According to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Accra Collection at the GRA Mr. George Atta Kruffie, the authority is lacking behind by about 23 percent.
“The year has not ended but we are lacking behind by some 23.4 percent as at the second week of November. We are yet to calculate the deviation at the end of November. But we are hoping that the negative deviation will go down at the end of November” he stated.
In an interview with Citi Business News, Mr. Atta Kruffie said he is optimistic taxpayers will file their returns to enable them to meet their target by the end of the year.
He was of the view that with the reduction of taxes announced in the 2017 budget, business owners will be encouraged to file their taxes.
“When such tax education is carried out, it increases their level of compliance as taxpayers so they will be able to pay more and meet other tax obligations” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Atta Kriffie stated that proper sanctioning will also urge taxpayers to file their returns.
“Those who owe, we have served them with demand notice and we remind them constantly about the likely sanctions they are to face when they commit tax offences. By that, it will create some fear in them such that they will always make an attempt at least to pay whatever they owe” he explained.
Mr. Atta Kruffie spoke to Citi Business News on the sidelines of a tax education seminar organized by the customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana.