Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association announce ‘showdown’ against GRA

By: Kobina Baidoo

The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association have expressed ill-signals against the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Compliance and Invigilation exercise.

The GRA compliance and invigilation exercise which was revamped earlier this year, in a bid to ensure Value Added Tax (VAT) registered businesses pay VAT adequately.

A press statement issued by the association earlier submitted that members of the association are displeased with this decision made by the authority.

Head of Communications for the association, Takyi Addo touted the GRA’s attempt to deploy agents to sit in spare parts shops to monitor every purchase made and deduct VAT charges from sales made as disrespectful and intimidating. He said, “Our members have always been law abiding citizens of Ghana living in peace and providing services to their fellow citizens of Ghana so we don’t see the reason GRA has to invite their officers to come and sit in our shops from morning till we close just in the name of raising revenue for the government.

The association in this regard has closed all automobile spare part shops to validate signals of distress to the government. “There will be closure of shops today; every single shop will be closed down to send a sure signal to the government, GRA Commissioner General and the Commissioner Custom Division with their nuisance tax and revenue they have imposed on traders especially Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association”.

Mr. Addo stated that the association is willing to go head to head with the government and called on all Ghanaian traders to join in the fight against the VAT invoice invigilation exercise. “This is our time we have to let GRA and customs know that we are not happy with what they are doing to traders; This is intimidation, its harrasment, extortion and very disrespectful towards traders ; We as traders have been silent for too long and now its our time to speak; Let me put this across, if you do something and you do not do it well, we will give you a showdown.”