The Value Added Tax (VAT) Service on Tuesday closed down four businesses in the Tema Metropolis for defaulting in their tax obligations.

The Tuesday close-down, part of a continuing distress action to compel defaulting companies to pay their taxes, brings to seven the number of businesses shut since Monday when the exercise took off in Tema.

The Service is concentrating its efforts this week in the Tema Metropolis and has warned that many more of the 20 targeted businesses face a similar fate.

The VAT Service’s tax force is led by Henry Sam, a revenue officer who told Joy Business Report that only one company that owed about 132 million cedis was able to redeem the tax arrears.

He also said the businesses visited had been cooperative but the Service would not hesitate to seek the prosecution of any one who stood in their way.

The Dutch Hotel at Nungua and Pub Consultancy Services were the first group of companies, which were closed down, but a quick payment arrangement got the hotel back in business.