Officers from the Ghana Revenue Authority Tuesday stormed the factories of Coca-Cola bottling company and Kasapreko beverage limited to prevent excisable products without tax stamp from entering the market.
The operation is part of measures by the revenue agency to ensure that all manufacturing companies comply with the excise tax stamp policy.
“Our mandate here this morning for the team is to ensure that all products coming out of the factories are affixed with the tax stamp” leader of the GRA team, Emmanuel Spio Abaidoo said.
In line with the Excise Tax Act passed by parliament in 2013, all carbonated beverage and alcoholic drinks must be embossed with the tax stamp to help the state generate the right taxes on the products.
The Ghana Revenue Authority taskforce was stationed at some key beverage manufacturing firms including Coca-cola, Kasapreko, Gihoc distilleries, Accra Breweries Limited, Blow group of companies among others.
At Coca-Cola, the task force managed to detain some products that were about going out of the factory into the market.
Mr Spio Abaidoo hinted that the mandate of the team for the operation is to ensure that any product of the company that is excisable has the tax stamp affixed on them before entering the market.
At Bel Group of Companies, producers of Bel-Aqua mineral water and Bel beverage, the task force ceased all products that were ready to be sold but have not been affixed with the tax stamp.
Commercial Manager of Bel Group of Companies, Ruben Kordorwu after taking the team on tour of its assembling plants explained that the company has some challenge with the tax affixing machine hence its inability to emboss on all the products.
“We are law-abiding citizens and complying with the law, but we encountered some challenges which our group chairman is meeting with the Commissioner-General to sort it out,” he noted.
Before exiting the premise of the company, the task force sealed all trucks loaded with products that have not been affixed with the tax stamp.
The team was at the Achimota Mall, Shoprite and some other major beverage trading shops in Accra.
According to the GRA, the exercise will continue until there is full compliance of the Excise Tax Stamp policy.