It has, accordingly, warned that owners of all vehicles and motor cycles picked up will pay a pecuniary penalty in addition to the normal import duty and taxes. Mr. David G. Attah, Assistant Commissioner of Customs in charge of the region, announced this at the second quarter of the Regional  Tax Education Seminar for 2016.

The seminar, on the theme ‘Taxation Key To Ghana’s Economic Growth,’ brought together over 100 stakeholders including the Shippers Council, Ghana Export Promotion Council, Ministry of Trade, Ghana Standards Authority, Customs House Agents, Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Motor Dealers and the media.

Mr Attah pointed out that the seminar was to enable the GRA to identify the weaknesses and shortcomings in their delivery so as to take the necessary remedial measures to enable them optimise revenue performance.

Mr. Attah said the Bolgatanga Collection Point  had been tasked to collect GH¢9,650,000 during this financial year, but he did not provide the figure collected so far. He explained that public expenditure on all sectors of the Ghanaian economy including, Education, Health, Agriculture, Industry, Sports Infrastructure were all hugely financed from revenue collected each year.

Mr. Attah emphasised that the seminar was therefore very crucial in the collaborative effort towards optimising revenue mobilisation for national development. Consequently, he acknowledged  the need for effective collaboration between tax payers, other stakeholders and the GRA, which could only be achieved through periodic tax education programmes.

Participants were taken through topics such as Imports and Exports, Transit, Temporary Vehicle Importation and sanctions among others.