Officials from the GRA aided by the police, have  locked up the premises of African Automobile Limited (AAL) for owing over GH¢6.5 million for non-payment of VAT.

It followed the company's consistent failure to pay the monies owed despite numerous reminders and appeals, according to Chief Revenue Officer of the GRA, Samuel Bentil.

Mr. Bentil said this Thursday, when he led a team from the Debt Management and Compliance Enforcement Unit of GRA and the police to pay an unannounced visit to the premises of AAL and Databank Ghana Limited both of whom are said to be owing a total of GH¢8.23million in unpaid taxes for over two years.

The exercise codenamed, “VAT Distress Action”, was aimed at recovering all outstanding debts owed by customers of the Service. 

More than 100 corporate entities have been defaulting on Value Added Tax (VAT) owed to the state as at last year.

Mr. Bentil cautioned delinquent companies that GRA will continue to embark on a rigorous exercise to retrieve all outstanding tax owed.

He explained that the company’s failure to pay the outstanding arrears within two weeks will result in an auction of the assets to pay off the debt in line with the GRA Act.

“By virtue of the powers of the Commissioner General under section 34(3) of the Value Added Tax Act, 1998 and section 136 of Internal Revenue Act, 2000, Act 592 the GRA will confiscate assets belonging to the tax defaulters and dispose off the assets if they fail to pay after 14 days.”

Mr. Bentil said the companies have been indebted to the Authority for far too long, and this called for drastic action after several reminders.

The Authority will continue to ensure that defaulters become law-abiding, he added.

“The Authority will ensure that they comply with the country’s tax laws and honour their tax obligations promptly,” he said.