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The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Special Task Force has mobilized more than Ȼ12 million in the past two weeks since it began operations to retrieved revenues from defaulting taxpayers.

Chief Revenue Officer of the GRA, Theophilus Gaskin who disclosed this, said the amount represents unpaid VAT returns from July 2013.

The operation by the Special Revenue Mobilization Task Force, which was inaugurated recently by the Commissioner-General, resulted in the retrieval of the money from 324 defaulting taxpayers.

The taskforce closed the Margins ID Systems Company which is reported to be owing the state Ȼ2,095, 387.
The International Energy Insurance Company Limited owed an outstanding tax liability of Ȼ1,300,760.20 from 2008 to 2012. The office complex was eventually closed down.

Managers at the Aviation Handling Services were able to negotiate with the tax officials and paid up their tax obligations of Ȼ660,000.

Officials of the Wisconsin University College, the last place to be visited have signed an undertaking to pay up 50% of a tax obligation of Ȼ609,000 by last Monday, 24th August, 2015.

Mr Gaskin is hopeful the debt collection would lead to a great increase in revenue mobilization for the year.
The GRA said failure by business operators to voluntarily comply with the tax laws will compel the Task Force Teams to enforce its compliance.

The 40-member task force, in collaboration with the tax offices, undertook series of compliance activities between August 3 and 14 2015 aimed at ensuring that taxpayers fulfil their obligations in conformity with the tax laws.

The core objective of the task force is to strengthen the tax collection machinery of the Ghana Revenue Authority by ensuring full compliance with the provisions of the tax laws and to shore up tax revenue.

The team, in line with its mandate, has been carrying out activities such as massive debt collection exercises, following up on outstanding tax returns, compliance with self-assessment regime and compliance with VAT Act, which according to GRA, has yielded a positive results.

The GRA appealed to the taxpaying public to honour their civic obligation to voluntarily comply with the tax laws by registering their businesses if they have not done so among others.

It also urged business operators to issue VAT invoices for taxable supplies, file their tax returns/accounts on or before the due dates, effect payment of tax returns submitted and also settle all tax arrears without default.