Be honest in declaration of invoice on goods – Mills

Mr. Lamptey Mills, Chief Collector at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, at the Tamale Collection Point, has asked traders and importers to be honest in the declaration of invoices covering imported goods.

He said this would make importers pay the right amount in duties and taxes to avoid cheating the system, warning that it was a punishable offence to under-declare the value of imports.

Mr. Lamptey Mills said this at a Tax Education Seminar for traders and importers at Tamale. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) organized the seminar as part of efforts to broaden its engagement with stakeholders towards improved national revenue mobilization.

He said when traders provide honest information on their invoices and declaration forms it helps revenue collecting agencies to do the right valuation for taxes and duties to be paid.

According to him, under invoicing and concealing of goods were major threats to revenue mobilization and denied the government the requisite resources to undertake national development programs.

Consequently, the revenue collection agencies have strengthened their strategies to block avenues by some traders to run away from taxes and duties.

He also urged importers to bring their goods through approved entry points because smuggling amounted to nation wrecking and offenders would be apprehended.

Mr Kwame Minisi Fordjour of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the GRA said all eligible citizens were obliged to pay their taxes for national development.

Mr. Fordjour appealed to Ghanaians not to see the payment of taxes as a burden but as a civic responsibility, saying taxation as the main source of national income was the life blood of any successful nation.

Some of the local traders appealed to the revenue agencies to target foreigners who were doing businesses locally but are not paying the required taxes.

They also tasked the revenue agencies to foster partnership with local businesses thereby creating more understanding on the relevance of paying taxes.

Source: GNA