The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has impounded three articulated trucks loaded with smuggled cooking oil in Kumasi. 

The 10,000 boxes of the seized items worth about GH¢120 were bound for Cote d’Ivoire from Tema, through Elubo.

This comes after two Kumasi-bound forty-foot container trucks loaded with high duty materials were recently impounded for tax evasion at the Takoradi Port.

Assistant Commissioner, Kwesi Ahiakpor is Ashanti Regional Commander of the Customs Division. He says the service will ensure owners pay the necessary duties and penalties before the goods are released.   

"Each truck is carrying a total of 3,294 jerry cans of cooking oil and the transit route is telling me Tema to Elubo to La Cote d'Ivoire," Mr Ahiakpor said.

He wondered why the trucks were found at Kubease, "knowing very well these things will end up in warehouses in Kumasi. So I pick you up and since then the owners have not shown up". 

Mr Ahiakpor said he will not be intimidated by anybody and will not yield to pressure from anyone adding that the culprits are to pay a 100 percent penalty.    

He said they importers have the options to either to to the Tema Harbour and submit a new declaration, failure for which he said he will re-examine the cargo for tax purposes. 

"So I will do that, work the duty and slap a 100 percent penalty tax on it. As for me, I am not standing for election and I don't need anyboy's vote, I am a tax man and as for taxation we deal with exactitude," Mr Ahiakpor said. 

Meanwhile, Tax Consultant Ali Nakyea is warning government against over-taxation of businesses saying it will only fuel tax evasion.

A number of businesses have in recent times been complaining about what they describe as a multiplicity of taxes imposed on them by government, in spite of the harsh economic environment.

This, according to them is unduly affecting their operations. Speaking with JOY BUSINESS, Mr. Nakyea said widening the tax net would rather ensure compliance.