The Brong-Ahafo Regional office of the Value Added Tax (VAT) service has exceeded its revenue target for 2009 by 11.9 percent while growth rate of the tax net increased by 63.9 percent. Mrs. Joyce Evelyn Mensah-Boakye, Regional Head of the service, who announced this at their end-of-year get-together in Sunyani on Wednesday however declined to disclose the figures, saying: "that is a communication policy of the service, we don't release out figures". She said the target was met through the diligence and hardwork of management and staff at the office. Mrs. Mensah-Boakye admitted that the year 2010 presented a great challenge but that notwithstanding, with the cooperation and dedication of staff coupled with patriotism and readiness of traders and business concerns, the service could perform even better than 2009, she added. She therefore entreated traders and business entities in the region to willingly and promptly submit their VAT returns to avoid prosecution. Mr. Samuel Kwaku Gyimah, Deputy Regional Coordinating Director on behalf of Mr. Eric Opoku, Deputy Regional Minister, said tax revenue was one of the major tools for national development. Hence VAT staff as well as other revenue collection officers must be committed and transparent in their operations for the country to achieve its targets. The Deputy Regional Coordinating Director asked tax collection agencies not to confine their operations to the cities and urban centres but "should spread their tentacles to the peripheries" to widen the tax net for increased and maximum domestic revenue mobilization. Mr. Gyimah suggested tax collection agencies must move beyond the voluntary compliance mode of tax payment and effectively apply the method of education, enforcement and punishment (EEP) so that the culture of freely honouring one's tax obligation would become entrenched in the Ghanaian society. He said with a rigorous effort and collaboration, the advent of the Ghana Revenue Authority would ensure sustainable target achievement of internally generated fund for the nation. Source: GNA