The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) seized assorted alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages which did not have tax stamps affixed on them from some distribution and retail shops in Koforidua in the Eastern Region on Tuesday.
The seized products included club beer, voltic bottled water as well as local and foreign drinks which were found on sale by Adu Boafo Company Limited and Voltic Depot both in Koforidua.
The GRA Taskforce during their inspection of the shops to ensure the tax stamp compliance by the GRA, discovered that some of the products had the stamps affixed on them but could not be read by the electronic devices used to detect whether they were fake or not.
The Principal Revenue Officer of the GRA, Mr Nathan Danquah, said the exercise was a continuation of last year’s exercise meant to ensure that excise goods on the market had the tax stamps affixed as required by law.
He was impressed that there had been massive improvement in terms of compliance as a lot of the products inspected had the tax stamps affixed on them.
Mr Danquah stated that his outfit was having challenges with some manufacturers, distributors and retailers who were still not complying with the law and warned of sanctions if caught.
“If not then we would continue to confiscate and seize when necessary,” he said, adding that items seized would be kept by the GRA and a follow up would be made to the manufacturers to ensure compliance with the tax stamp.
Mr Danquah said GRA had given the companies who had their products seized a seizure notice, adding that they have 30 days to contact the GRA and ensure that the right thing was done.
“When they come we will calculate the tax on the product and then add additional penalty of 300 per cent and if they pay we release the items. There is also an option of prosecution that the commissioner general will exercise and that is left to him to do,” the Principal Revenue Officer said.
He warned retailers to ensure they that they checked the items bought from the manufacturers and distributors to ensure that products bought had the tax stamps affixed on them.
FROM: AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA