The Ghana Revenue Authority has renewed its monthly crackdown on businesses defaulting on their tax obligations in the Ashanti region.

Over 150 shops at Tech Junction trading centre in Ayigya through to Adako Jachie, have been locked up by officers of the AshTown Tax Office.

Traders and business entities who had trooped to the market centre to open their shops for the day’s trading activity meet their facilities under lock and key.

The shops also had embossed on their gates inscriptions that read “GRA ASHTOWN TSC”.

The gates were also locked up with padlocks from the office, bearing varied numbers of the revenue mobilization office.

Although some traders are reported to have defaulted on their tax payments, others resented, arguing they had honoured their obligations.

At the tax office in AshTown, long, winding queues were seen as the shop owners sought to reclaim access to their properties.

“When I went there, I showed them my tax sheet that I had made payments and I was given the key to come back and unlock my shop,” a shop owner told Luv Business.

The early morning task has seen trading activity at the market slowing as potential customers fail to make purchases.

“We have to turn away customers to elsewhere since the shops have been locked up. My boss is trying to get the keys at the Revenue office so we open the shop,” a shop attendant said.

However, in an interview with Luv Business, Head of the AshTown Tax Office, Henry Gyan, noted that individuals with their shops locked up failed to register for the Value Added Tax (VAT) while others reneged on the usual tax fees.

The office also refused arguments of not serving notices to the shops before carrying out the exercise.

“Notices of tax due had been served. Our officers went there monthly to remind them. Once they pay, we give them the keys to go and open their shops,” he noted.

The non-payment is adversely impacting the monthly and quarterly tax targets of the office.

At least 10.8 million cedis tax targets have been set for the office for the month of June.

The GRA is admonishing businesses and the public to regularly pay up their taxes for national development.