[ 2014-08-16 ]

Bolgatanga Tax Office exceeds revenue target
The Bolgatanga District branch of the Small Tax
Office (STO) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)
collected a total revenue of GH¢3, 298,880.36 as
at the end of May this year as against its target
of GH¢2,937,440.00.

This exceeded its set target by 34.14 per cent as
against a shortfall of 1.7 per cent during the
same period in 2013.

The revenue target set for 2014 was GH¢7216446.00
as against GH¢6,674,660.42 for 2013 and there are
indications that the target for this year would be
exceeded.

Mr Mahama Dauda Askia, the Bolgatanga Small Tax
Office (STO) Manager, disclosed this at a one day
educational seminar for over 151 stakeholders
represented by district finance officers,
accountants and chief executives of businesses
drawn from its catchment area.

The seminar formed part of the 2014 Public
Education Campaign by the Domestic Tax Revenue
Division of the GRA, geared towards widening the
tax net as well as keeping them abreast of the tax
laws of Ghana and the reforms being rolled out.

According to Mr. Askia, the thrust of the reforms
was to ensure an increase in the level of
voluntary compliance of the tax laws.

Participants were taken through topics such as
book-keeping, how to implement the withholding tax
and enforcement of the rent tax laws.

Mr Askia said by the end of 2016 it was desired
that all qualified taxable Ghanaians would have
complied with the new tax identification number
registration as well as the re-registration of tax
payers in the country.

He expressed the hope that the seminar would
enhance the understanding of the tax laws of the
country to help attain high levels of compliance
by all citizens towards their tax obligations.

Alhaji Sualah-Abdul-Raheem Head of Audit of the
GRA, touching on the withholding tax regime,
explained that the law required that a person
effecting payment for supply of goods and services
rendered to deduct the exact tax at source and to
pay the same to the GRA.

He pointed out that though compliance to this law
was about 60 per cent in the region, much more
remained to be done.

Mr Patrick Somuah, head of Debt Management who
dealt with record-keeping, filing of returns, and
rights and obligations of tax payers, emphasised
the importance of filing returns and cautioned
that those who attempt to cover up by
under-declaring would be sanctioned when caught.

On his part, Mr Jerry Adu Poku, head of Tax Payer
Services Unit, who spoke on rent indicated that,
residential premises attract a tax rate of 8 per
cent whilst that of commercial purposes such as
banks was assessed at 15 per cent.

He warned that anybody who defaults in forwarding
withholding tax meant for the GRA within three
months would pay penalty of between 20-30 per
cent.

The catchment area for the Bolganga District
Officer of the GRA include the Bolgantanga and
Kassena Nankana municipalities, the Paga, Bongo
Zebilla, Bawku West Gane-Tempane Nabdam and
Talensi Districts.

Source - Ghanaian Times

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