GRA enhances tax enforcement, shuts down Chinese company over GH¢3.5m tax default in Bono Region.
The GRA in the Bono Region has taken decisive action against X-Wan Mining Services, a Chinese-owned company operating a quarry site in Ayaayo in the Wenchi Municipality.
On Tuesday morning, the company was shut down with padlocks and commissioner’s tape by GRA officials due to significant tax default.
The exercise was conducted by Sunyani GRA Taxpayer service centre of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division in collaboration with the Area Enforcement Unit.
According to the GRA, X-Wan Mining Services failed to pay a principal tax amount of GH¢6,538,329.60p, which accrued an additional interest of GH¢2,783,764.92 from 2020 to 2022, bringing their total debt to GH¢9,322,094.52.
Sunyani GRA Taxpayer service centre manager Mr. Charles Antwi Boasiako said that despite numerous attempts to settle the debt, the company still owes GH¢3,480,868.45p, prompting the GRA to temporarily shut down the company.
Mr. Charles Antwi Boasiako revealed that X-Wan negotiated a payment plan in March 2023, requesting a 12-month instalment plan to settle the debt by February 2024.
“A liability was established for them to pay. Subsequent, they requested and wrote to GRA commissioner general that they could not pay the entire liability at a goal and so they wanted a payment schedule in instalment this was communicated to them in response to the request in April 2022”, he said.
According to him, the Sunyani GRA Taxpayer Service Centre has no option but to lock up the company as part of their enforcement process.
“We have done all we could to recover all liability and were not successful and so we have to rely on our enforcement tools to recover the rest of the liability that explains why we decided to close down the business so that we would expect them to do needful” Mr. Boasiako stressed.
He told Kaakyire Kwasi Afari that the company failed to honour its promises, leading to further action.
With approximately 40 staff members, the shutdown of this quarry site will halt operations with strict monitoring until the arrears are cleared.
The GRA emphasized that tax compliance in the Bono Region is encouraging, with the majority of companies honouring their tax obligations.
He urged businesses to ensure regular payment to avoid shutdowns and encouraged taxpayers facing challenges to visit the GRA office for assistance to avoid penalties.
Source: Kaakyire Kwasi Afari.
