Monday, December 7, 2009

VAT DESCENDS ON DEBTORS (PAGE 30, DEC 7)

Officials of the VAT Service descended on debtors to recover over GH¢268,556 owed by operators of various businesses in the Tema metropolis.
They were acting according to Section 34 of the Value Added Tax Act (546)1998 which authorises the service to recover money owed it, and a warrant of distress signed by the Commissioner of the VAT Service, Mr Anthony Ewereko Minlah.
During the exercise, some debtors who had failed in their obligations to the service paid their debts by issuing post-dated cheques to avoid the closure of their companies.
One of the companies, Parkobi Clearing and Forwarding office, was locked up when it could not settle their indebtedness of GH¢ 3,165 owed the VAT Service.
The others who were able to pay up their debts included Ave Maria Resort and Wellness Center, located at the former Halcrow Beach. It owed GH¢5,49.79; Care – Two Shipping Agency - GH¢ 1,170; Favorite Shipping Company Ltd - GH¢1,554, and Pipeline Trading Company - GH¢1450.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic before the exercise, the Head of the Tema local VAT Office, Mrs Nanzirata Duweijua, expressed her unhappiness that people in business waited for the service to send out officials before they paid their debts.
She noted that officials went out from time to time to demand payments but the debtors did not pay heed to them and waited till force was used to make them meet their obligations.
Mrs Duweijua explained that the exercise was necessary because the year had almost ended, and that old debts had to be retrieved.
She said most of the debtors had their outstanding debts spanning a period of two and three years.
Mrs Duweijua appealed to defaulting businessmen and women to pay their debts within the 21-day grace period to ensure that the amount did not accumulate and create problems for them.
She hinted that some cheques issued by the debtors bounced, while some played hide-and-seek with the VAT Service.
Mrs Duweijua, therefore, urged people in business to pay their debts to help develop the nation and gave the assurance that the exercise would continue till all the debtors fulfilled their obligations to the service .

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