Over 150 shops in Kumasi locked up over unpaid taxes, traders stranded

Owners of at least 150 shops in Kumasi are stranded. The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) locked their facilities due to unpaid taxes.

The Ashanti New Town Taxpayer Service Centre took this action as part of tax compliance measures. They placed new locks on the shops of tax defaulters to encourage payment.

The GRA stated that these owners ignored multiple notices to pay their debts. Shop owners in Airport Roundabout, Asafo, and Amakom found additional padlocks on their shops. A GRA notice was also posted on their gates.

The GRA is worried about some individuals and businesses not paying taxes. Many defaulters cited low sales and other challenges for not settling their debts.

However, some shop owners claim they were unaware of the operation. Henry Prince Gyan, Chief Revenue Officer at the Ashanti New Town Taxpayer Service Centre, insists prior notices were sent out.

He confirmed that the office collected at least GH₵ 200,000 after some shop owners paid their arrears. This allowed them to reopen their shops.

Gyan mentioned that sometimes they must apply pressure to ensure compliance. He noted that invitation letters were sent before the locks were placed. Some recipients ignored these letters, so they did not inform them about the operation again.