Journalist to drag GRA to court over obnoxious tax policy

Ghanaian journalist and Editor of The New Independent Newspaper, Kofi Adzivor is set to drag the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to court over what he says is the implementation of a dangerous tax policy introduced in 2019.

The young Journalist in an interview with the media in Accra disclosed how a policy introduced in 2019 by the Custom’s Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority is rather making some individual Custom officers along the Eastern Corridor rich instead of it (the policy) raking in more revenue for national development.

The import duty tax was introduced by the Ghana Revenue Authority to curb smuggling, bribery and corruption along the Eastern Corridor of the country, specifically the Volta Region.

Meanwhile, the vociferous young journalist suggests it was a move to enrich a few officers while putting huge tax liability on the larger populace.

Kofi Adzivor maintains that despite calls by tax experts and some concerned Ghanaians for the obnoxious policy to be reversed, the GRA remains adamant over the matter.

“The policy must be reversed because it’s illegal and doesn’t serve any meaningful purpose,” he argued.

The policy allows all trucks, cargos and all manner of loading vehicles to pay peanuts over goods they convey into the country through that part of the country.

He revealed that, this has reduced traffic through the Tema and Takoradi ports suggesting that, ” If the policy is reversed and right duties are paid, government would get more money for development,” Mr. Adzivor said.

“These cargo vehicles no matter their sizes and irrespective of their contents, are allowed to pay very small amount of money while duty receipts are issued to cover the goods” he said and went ahead to add, “this is unfair and an action must be taken with immediate effect”

He, therefore, said he will drag the Ghana Revenue Authority to Court if they fail to reverse the policy after fourteen (14) days.