GRA captures 5 more quarries for VAT infractions

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has arrested supervisors of five stone and sand quarry companies in the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality.

Four of the companies – E&H Quarry Ltd., Atlantic Rock Quarry, China Railways Engineering Quarry Ltd. and Quality Quarry Ltd. are Chinese entities while Paul Addai Stone Quarry is a Ghanaian-owned company.

In effect, the GRA has arrested supervisors of these companies for various VAT infractions, including selective and non-issuance of VAT receipts.

Area Enforcement Manager of Accra Central – GRA, Joseph Annan, who led the exercise, said the visit to the sites are a continuation of what was begun in September this year.

“Compliance really improved when we started in September, and that has been evident in our collection. This latest exercise, which puts focus on quarries across the country, is an integral part of the national economy. We have moved our focus from commerce to the quarry sector. Our test purchases have indicated that most operators at quarries do not issue the VAT invoice,” he said.

Mr. Annan said on-the-spot assessments alone done since September this year has realised more than GH¢800,000, though a lot more assessments are yet to be done.

“We have collected all these for the state, and there is a lot more to collect. Through these enforcements, we have the public also giving us alerts on fake invoices. These are great collaborations that the authority does not take for granted,” he said.

Key items intercepted in the five companies were idle VAT invoices, waybills, company invoices, computer system units, laptops and company documents.

The retrieved documents from these non-compliant companies, according to Mr. Annan, would assist in carrying out full-scale investigations to ascertain the amount and extent of revenue loss.

“The CDIs would conduct their investigations as we do our preemptive assessment and recommend them for full audits. After the investigations, they would face the authority’s legal unit for possible prosecution,” he added.

Last week, five Chinese firms – Top Stone Quarry, Uniafrika, Derby Quarry, Orient Quarry, Massaike & Sabbagh Company Ltd. – and Twin Rock Quarry, a Ghanaian company located at the Shai Osudoku District Assembly, were clamped down for various infractions, including non-issuance and selective issuance of VAT receipts.

These companies had their officials arrested and are currently undergoing investigations for possible prosecution.

Since September this year, GRA has invigilated more than 175 taxpayers, all in a bid to meet its GH¢80.3 billion revenue target.

The authority had earlier disclosed that it will enforce compliance in the hospitality sector during the festive season to boost revenue.