Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - White Chapel Limited, dealers in general goods in Accra, was on Thursday closed down for defaulting in the payment of 2,428 million cedis owed the VAT Service over a three-year period. The Service embarked on the distress action after several futile attempts and notices to claim the tax. Even though it was supposed to be a peaceful exercise, officials of the Enforcement and Debt Unit of the Service had difficulty in undertaking the exercise as workers and customers had to be virtually begged to leave the premises for the place to be locked up for enforcement of the law of confiscating the properties to the State.

With the year coming to an end, the VAT Service also closed down Holman Brothers Limited also in Accra for being a delinquent taxpayer. Holman Brothers, suppliers of mining equipment and services, has defaulted in the payment of 651.4 million cedis for a period of 10 months.

Mr Henry Sam, Head of the Enforcement and Debt team, said the VAT Service and the Large Tax Payer Unit (LTU) came together to undertake the distress action against the two companies. He advised all defaulting businesses to pay their taxes promptly to avoid closure and urged all complying companies to continue with their good work to support the development of the country.