Business News of Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Source: thefinderonline.com

GRA targets night traders in Kumasi

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The Domestic Revenue Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, in collaboration with the customs division of the GRA, will soon descend on traders who trade in the night at the Central Business District of the Kumasi Metropolis.

They have realised that some of these traders, as a means of invading tax, have intentionally resorted to trade in the night.

The Asokwa District manager of the Asokwa Small Tax Office of the GRA, Mr Joseph Kwasi Assuming, who disclosed this in an interview with The Finder, said that the rationale behind the exercise is to increase revenue through tax collection.

According to Mr Assuming, a special taskforce had been set up to help in pursing the course.

He said although some of traders had registered with his outfit to show that they trade both day and night, some have also intentionally used that as a means to shun away from paying tax.

When contacted, the commander of the Kumasi Collection of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Assistant Commissioner Paul Kwasi Ahiakpor, confirmed the collaboration, explaining that they all stood for one mission: revenue generation.

He said that permission had been sought to release preventive men to support the cause.

He said because the Customs Division is armed, they would serve as security men in such errands to rake in more revenue.

Some of the traders who spoke to this reporter unanimously said that they were trading due to lack of space and the fact that the market was also very lucrative between the hours of 7 and 10pm.