GRi BEF News 02-06-2000
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 May 2000
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Tuesday
outlined measures to curb tax malpractices among splinter associations in the
Akpeteshie (local gin) industry to ensure sanity in their operations and
facilitate the collection of taxes.
All such associations are to submit, within 30
days, their certificates of registration, total membership and value books of registration
in the last two years and a balance sheet of their operations.
Additionally, the IRS has asked all splinter
groups who want to remain independent from the Ghana Co-operative Distillers
Association (GCDA) to register officially with its regional offices and pay the
taxes of their members to the respective district offices.
The Service will also undertake a periodic audit
of the accounts of the groups, Mrs. Janet Opoku-Akyeampong, Assistant
Commissioner, Assessment, of the IRS said at a seminar for distillers and
retailers associations in Accra.
The seminar addressed reports of negative
practices such as under-invoicing, printing of waybills and receipts, absence
of office and books of accounts with respect to tax collection and payment.
Mrs. Opoku-Akyeampong said that tax revenue to
the Service had declined over the years despite an increase in the number of
groups within the industry. Total tax collection in the sector dropped from
102,669,896 million cedis in 1996 to 91,770,185 million cedis in 1997.
GRi../