The management of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has urged importers and the general public to adhere to Tax Laws and procedures to ensure seamless trade facilitation and optimize revenue generation for national development.
The GRA is committed to supporting the government’s initiatives aimed at improving education at all levels, and it pledges to fulfill its mandate to bolster educational efforts.
In a statement released in Accra, the Authority responded to an online publication titled “GRA halts two helicopter ‘gifts’ to KNUST over taxes.” It clarified that Section 75 of the Customs Act 2015 (Act 891) outlines the concept of temporary admission as a Customs procedure, allowing goods to be temporarily brought into the country for specific purposes without the obligation to pay import duties or taxes.
This procedure is designed to streamline international trade, reduce costs, and facilitate temporary cross-border activities. Goods admitted under this regime are typically expected to be re-exported within a specified timeframe, often around 90 days, or for specific activities like trade shows, exhibitions, repairs, or other temporary purposes.
“Appropriate documentation, including a Customs declaration, is required to initiate the temporary admission process,” it added.
These documents specify the intended use and the expected re-exportation date. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the payment of the “suspended” import duties and taxes.
It said the Customs Division required a guarantee/security such as an insurance bond or deposit, to ensure revenue was not lost if the goods or items in question were not re-exported.
The statement said all countries including Ghana, impose restrictions on the types of goods that can be temporarily admitted and the purposes for which they could be used.
It said as such, Customs procedures for temporary admission come with conditions which vary from country to country.
“Non-compliance with the terms of temporary admission can further result in sanctions, such as fines or forfeiture of the goods to the State,” it said.
It said for the incident in question, the mining firm brought in the two helicopters in 2020 under the Temporary Admission Regime, which required that they are re-exported after the agreed period.
“If the firm wishes to transfer the ownership of the helicopters to a third party (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), they are required to pay the appropriate taxes and duties before handing them over to KNUST,” it said.
The statement said this would prevent the possible abuse of the Temporary Admissions Regime by importers who apply for the waiver of duties but resort to donating the equipment as scrap as a way of evading payment of taxes.
It said KNUST had not imported any equipment into the country and therefore is not liable for import duty or taxes.