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Public urged not to conceal incomes
Accra, April 24, Ghanadot/GNA– The
Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Major
Daniel S. Ablorh-Quarcoo (Rtd), on Thursday cautioned
taxpayers against concealing their incomes and said the
Service intended to deploy a Geographic Positioning System
to track down landlords who refused to pay tax on the rent
income earned.
He said the Service was entering a new era and processes
were underway to make it a stronger and more effective tax
administration.
Major Ablor-Quarcoo was speaking at the launch of the Fourth
Revenue Week celebration in Accra under the theme, “Your Tax
Returns: A Fair Way of Assessing Your Income to Tax.”
The celebration is to remind and educate the public that it
is not just enough to pay taxes, but it is equally important
to file one’s tax returns at the right time.
Section 72 of the Internal Revenue Act (2000), Act 592,
states that all persons are required to furnish their
Returns of Income for a Year of Assessment within four
months after the end of the Year of Assessment.
Major Ablorh-Quarcoo said it was the expectation of the IRS
that the self-employed, operating as sole proprietors,
partnerships and corporate bodies, whose accounting dates
coincide with the year of assessment would duly file their
tax returns by April 30.
He said he was worried that sections of the public had not
yet cultivated the habit to voluntarily file tax returns and
appealed to the media to collaborate with the service in
educating the public on the issue.
Major Ablorh-Quarcoo said “Filing tax returns gives the tax
authorities the opportunity to raise a fair and correct
assessment on incomes. Besides, it is important to file
returns because it is a statutory requirement, it enables
businesses to claim allowable expenses and capital
allowances, and it promotes voluntary payment of taxes.
“It also promotes tax consciousness and good citizenship and
enables an individual taxpayer to claim appropriate relief
such as Marriage/Responsibility, Child Education, Old Age
Dependant, Old Age Disability, Life Assurance and Cost of
Training.
Major Ablorh-Quarcoo explained that in the case where one
overpaid his or her taxes, credit would be made available
for that person’s use and encouraged the public to file
their returns to enable them to take advantage of all the
relief.
He announced that effective from May 1 this year, the
payment of one per cent tax on the CIF value of imported
goods in commercial quantities would be integrated into the
GC Net system operated by the Customs, Excise and Preventive
Service.
Major Ablorh-Quarcoo said that would enable importers to
clear goods faster and improve service delivery as well.
It would also minimize fraud and reduce all forms of
malpractices associated with the existing arrangements and
enhance revenue collection of the service.
Major Ablorh-Quarcoo announced the automation of two of the
service’s offices at Kinbu and Osu in Accra to ensure
efficient service delivery. “We shall roll out gradually to
cover all districts during the course of the year,” he said.
The IRS boss took the opportunity to deny that the Service
connived with a stevedoring company to evade taxes.
He said the IRS conducted a tax audit to establish a tax
liability of Golden Gate Service, which it did not deny,
even though it objected to the magnitude of the liability.
“The Commissioner proceeded to cause the suspension of the
release of a Tax Clearance Certificate which they needed to
renew their licence, until they had made satisfactory
arrangements towards the settlement of the obligations.
“How can this be described as abuse of discretion and
connivance for evasion of tax?”
GNA
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