Accra (Greater Accra), 22 Jan. '99 -

Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications, yesterday asked Regional Information Officers of the Information Services Department (ISD) to collaborate effectively with Regional and District Value Added Tax Officers to ensure proper dissemination of information of the operations of the new tax system.

Mr Mahama was speaking at a one-day special briefing for field officers of the ISD who will be undertaking a 30-day campaign on VAT soon. The 120 officers are being trained to enable them to sustain the campaign began by the VAT Service. The officers are expected to work closely with VAT Service officials in the regions to ensure that the message goes down well with not only those registered to collect VAT but the public as well.

"The VAT Service has sent circulars round to this effect for a smooth take off," the Minister said. They will be looking at topics including how to manage old stock, how to supply information on them and submit returns to the VAT office. The minister explained that VAT registered companies who have old stock should contact the VAT offices in their localities to enable them to work out the five per cent they had paid on the sales and service taxes before the new tax came into effect on December 30 last year.

On the application of VAT laws, the Minister said "the honeymoon period is over and from next month we will begin to stringently uphold the laws as stated

in the law''. All big shops and supermarkets with annual turnover of 200 million cedis are required to install cash registers to enable them to calculate appropriately the required VAT on their goods and services.