The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has defended Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent allegations against the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), asserting that the authority has been unjustly targeting local businesses in their tax collection.
In a press statement on March 27, 2024, the TAGG affirmed Bawumia’s remarks, stating that the GRA’s revenue mobilization efforts have resulted in what they term as “harassment” of businesses across the country.
TAGG accused the GRA of deploying tactics that are detrimental to the survival of local businesses. Among the concerns raised are allegations of extortion and harassment by GRA officials, particularly through the establishment of task forces to monitor traders and intercept goods and cargo after clearance at ports.
Furthermore, TAGG claims that traders are often subjected to unfair tax assessments, and are asked to pay amounts exceeding their capital for taxes that they do not fully comprehend.
“We, members of the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) wish to affirm the statement made by His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic, that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been harassing businesses in its revenue mobilisation drive.
“The Vice President, in our view, couldn’t have said it any better because his pronouncement is a true reflection of daily happenings in the business community. And the statement Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has issued before.
“We, therefore, find the statement released by the Ghana Revenue Authority Workers Union (GRAWU) of the GRA which seeks to rebut the assertion of the Vice President most unfortunate and misleading to the trading public,” part of the press statement, which was signed by President of the group, Kwdwo Amoateng said.
They also highlight GRA officials’ intrusive behavior, such as sitting at shops to monitor customer traffic, which they argue deters potential customers and affects business viability.
TAGG has called upon relevant stakeholders, including the GRA, to address these issues urgently, emphasizing the need for a more business-friendly tax regime that fosters both revenue generation for the state and the growth of local enterprises.
“As members of the business community who have been victims of the incessant harassment by the GRA over the years in the name of collecting revenue for the State, we deem it necessary to put out the facts and chastise GRAWU for debunking what is the obvious truth.
“To help Ghanaians appreciate the level of frustration we continue to suffer at the hands of the officials of GRA, we wish to state some of our concerns as follows;
“Extortion and harassment by GRA officials: So many task forces are deployed to monitor traders when GRA could leverage on cutting-edge systems,” the statement added.
This declaration comes as a direct response to a statement released by the Ghana Revenue Authority Workers Union (GRAWU), which sought to challenge the Vice President’s assertions.
