The Ghana Revenue Authority has notified the general public ahead of it’s data collection exercise on properties across the country.
This exercise is in accordance with Section 33 (1 & 2) of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915), which states that for the purposes of tax law, the Commissioner-General shall have full and unrestricted access to premises, documents, or assets for reasonable cause, without prior notice.
According to a statement issued by the Authority, officers from the GRA Rent Tax Taskforce will be visiting various areas to identify properties and conduct interviews in order to compile accurate data for tax purposes.
The Ghana Revenue Authority urged the general public to lend assistance to personnel by cooperating with them. This move is one of many initiatives planned by the Authority to boost domestic revenue in the face of the country’s limited access to the international financial market.
The Authority has recently focused on property tax and income tax after government officials, including Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, announced the two as opportunities for the state to generate revenue for development.
Despite the fact that these are not new taxes, the government claims that few people are complying.
Read the press release below:
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) wishes to inform the general public especially persons who own, rent or occupy properties that, the Authority is undertaking a data collection exercise on properties nationwide.
In line with this exercise, officers of the Rent Tax Taskforce of GRA are visiting various areas to identify properties and conduct interviews leading to the collation of accurate data for tax purposes.
GRA entreats the general public, especially owners and occupiers of rented properties to accord the necessary assistance to the officers and cooperate with them.
Section 33 (1 & 2) of the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915) states that for the purpose of a tax law, the Commissioner-General shall for reasonable cause, have without prior notice, full and free access to premises, documents or assets.
The GRA takes this opportunity to notify all taxpayers that tax officers will not collect monies from taxpayers on the field. With the introduction of the Cashless policy, tax payment is through the Ghana.gov platform, designated banks, mobile money using the short code *222#, swift and other authorized digital means.
The officers collecting data on the field can be identified as GRA officers from the GRA inscribed jackets they are wearing.
Taxpayers can contact the Authority Toll-free on 0800 900 110 for assistance.