The Commissioner-Normal of the Ghana Income Authority (GRA) has dismissed claims that ongoing disagreements between the Authority and the Nationwide Identification Authority (NIA) over alleged money owed have disrupted the clearance of products on the ports.
Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, talking on Pleasure Information’ PM Specific Enterprise Version on Thursday, August 21, mentioned stories suggesting that importers can’t clear their items due to the Ghana Card dispute are “not an correct account.”
“What additionally got here out was the detrimental or the inaccurate information to say that as a result of NIA has taken that motion, folks can’t clear their stations.
“As you communicate proper now, it isn’t an correct account. For those who have a look at the tax administration system in the present day, now we have the people, which we’re utilizing the Ghana Card, and companies which GRA generates by itself. Most of those importers run on enterprise TIN.
“We don’t depend on Ghana Card. And subsequently it couldn’t have been that when you don’t have your Ghana Card at use, you can not import.”
Mr. Sarpong assured importers that port operations stay unaffected.
“So I wish to use this medium to guarantee all importers that one, that’s not the state of affairs. Now we have not had any single criticism from any importer.
“Most of the people ought to be assured that that’s not the state of affairs. After which we’re additionally working with NIA to resolve the matter.”
He defined that the Ghana Card will not be repeatedly validated for present taxpayers and subsequently can’t disrupt the clearing course of.
“Certainly, as soon as your Ghana Card is as soon as validated and in your system, it’s not one thing we validate on a regular basis. So in case you are already in our system, you aren’t impacted.
“It’s only wanted when a brand new taxpayer places of work and so they present their Ghana Card, then we go to NIA and say, anyone has confirmed their Ghana Card, is it issued by you?
“And subsequently, for present taxpayers, each company and people, this matter will not be having any affect in any respect. And subsequently that’s why, as we are saying, it was inaccurate, the publish that was out.”
Addressing the broader dispute, Mr. Sarpong acknowledged that there have been legacy preparations between the 2 establishments, however mentioned the matter is being dealt with on the management stage.
“Earlier than 2025 there was some type of legacy association between the NIA and GRA. A part of it was for NIA to say that as GRA receives the information, some quantity must be paid to NIA.
“However the different half was additionally that GRA made accessible all its places of work nationwide for NIA to function. In order we communicate in the present day, NIA has places of work all in GRA places of work for which GRA doesn’t pay, for which NIA doesn’t pay something to GRA. However these preparations weren’t conclusive.”
He revealed that he had already held discussions with the NIA Director-Normal to resolve the difficulty amicably and expressed disappointment that the matter was taken to the media.
“So far as the demand for debt is anxious, after I took over, I’ve from management perspective engaged the Director-Normal of NIA. We met right here in GRA places of work, and we mentioned the matter, and we agreed that as leaders, we have to have a look at the problems and resolve them subsequently.
“I’ve additionally had a dialog with them, how what GRA believes the matter ought to be, and the way they need to. So for us as GRA, it got here as a matter of shock.
“That’s one thing that we’re talking on as legacy, as leaders we got here to satisfy, now we have opened the door and accepted them to debate additional and resolve, so it was an enormous shock to listen to our sister company attempting to take the matter to the media and resolve it there.”
He insisted that authorities companies should keep away from destabilising public service supply.
“It’s vital to acknowledge that when you have got issues, you can not resolve all of it within the media. It’s a matter that we have to sit, to dialogue, to debate in a spirit of collaborative method and resolve it.
“So you’ll discover that from GRA perspective, now we have prolonged one other skilled arm to our sister company to say, look, let’s sit down. We all know there are points on this space. We don’t totally agree together with your classes and claims, however we’re ready to steer a approach to talk about and to resolve the matter.
“So we’ve prolonged a hand to them to steer and resolve. I imagine that that’s what management is for, and the 2 of us are authorities establishments to serve the folks. Our actions shouldn’t result in destabilizing service to the folks or disturbing our core mandate.
“So we’re dedicated to work with NIA, and we name upon them to increase, tackle the hand that now we have prolonged, and allow us to resolve the matter and cope with it.”
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