GRA officials with some of the seized items
A number of distribution outlets and retail points in the New Juaben Municipality had their products confiscated by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for making available for sale goods without the tax stamp.
The products which were being sold were seized by the GRA Task Force during an enforcement and compliance inspection exercise to ensure that excise goods on the market had the tax stamps affixed on them as required by law.
Some of the shops and retail points which had their products seized included C&J shop, C&N, Voltic Retail shops, Water Well Dot shop and Multy shop among others.
Some traders were also caught with the excise stamps transferred to them by manufacturers to affix them themselves, an act which according to the GRA was illegal.
The distributors and retailers who fell victim and had their wares seized, were asked to report to the GRA office for sanctioning to ensure that the right thing was done.
A Senior Revenue Officer of the GRA Task office, Mr Theophilus Prince Tetteh, said the grace period given to retailers and distributors had been long overdue, adding that “they were just adamant and were reluctant to do the right thing even though they have been informed of the full enforcement in November, this year.”
He said products including alcoholic beverages — bottled or canned, water, cigarette and tobacco whether locally manufactured or imported that did not have the tax stamp were liable to seizure.
“Any excisable product found displayed without the tax stamps would be liable to seizure and the person selling, distributing or displaying the products would be sanctioned,” he stated.
Mr Tetteh lamented that it was unfortunate that some producers and manufacturers were transferring the excise tax stamp to distributors and retailers to affix them themselves, saying that the practice was illegal and that distributor or retailer caught with the tax stamp would be sanctioned.
He warned the retailers and distributors not to accept the tax stamp from the manufacturers or producers but to ensure that all products bought from them had the tax stamp already affixed on them.
The Senior Revenue Officer also asked them to apply to the GRA for tax stamps for old stock, adding that after the application, their men would take inventory and issued the corresponding number of tax stamps for free which would be affixed on outstanding products.
Mr Tetteh stated that the excise stamp was not meant to frustrate retailers and distributors but was enforced to ensure that excise tax had been paid on products sold on the market.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
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