![\"Ammishaddai](\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Ammishaddai.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nAmmishaddai Owusu-Amoah \u2014 GRA boss <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Ghana Revenue Authority has closed down five shopping centres in Accra over failure to integrate their value-added tax (VAT) invoices into the authority\u2019s newly deployed electronic (e) invoicing system.<\/h2>\n
In an exercise to enforce compliance yesterday[October 11, 2022], the GRA\u2019s tax force closed down four branches of Palace Mall and one branch of China Mall for noncompliance with the GRA\u2019s directive to comply before October 1, 2022.<\/p>\n
The four branched are the Labone, Spintex, Madina and Weija branches of the Palace Mall. <\/p>\n
The authority had earlier closed down some branches of the China Mall. <\/p>\n
The defaulting centres are part of about 50 retail centres selected by the GRA to pilot the implementation of the Electronic VAT system which began in October 1, 2022.<\/p>\n
The Electronic VAT system began on October 1, 2022 as a measure to help it block revenue loopholes.<\/p>\n
The implementation of the e-VAT invoicing system, was also to enable GRA to counter the various malpractices that the GRA said were denying the state billions of cedis in tax revenue.<\/p>\n
Last resort<\/strong> <\/p>\n The Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations at the Domestic Tax Revenue Division, Kwasi Eghan, explained that closing down was the authority\u2019s last resort. <\/p>\n He urged the firms yet to integrate their system to ensure compliance before the end of this week. <\/p>\n He noted that by the end of 2023, 600 additional tax payers would be enrolled unto the certified invoice system. <\/p>\n Mr Egyan added that by 2024, all tax payers would have been fully integrated unto the platform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n