On November 1, 2023, the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has declared their intention to hold a sit-down strike.
The primary objective of this strike is to underline their demand for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to revoke the implementation of the Electronic Value Added Tax (E-VAT) compliance.
The GRA’s enforcement team has been conducting visits to the shops and warehouses of association members in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. These visits were prompted by the association’s non-compliance with the electronic tax collection system.
It is important to note that the Association’s stance is not against the introduction of E-VAT but rather the daily presence of GRA officials in their members’ workplaces.
“We support the government’s drive to mobilize more revenue but the way and manner the GRA is going about it is embarrassing”, Mr Takyi Addo, Head of Communication for the Association, said.
They argue that the frequent visits create the perception that their members are engaging in tax evasion.
Mr. Takyi Addo emphasized that the purpose of the sit-down strike is to address these concerns regarding the manual enforcement approach and to hold the Ghana Revenue Authority responsible for its actions.
Mr. Addo provided this clarification during an interview with classfmonline.com over the weekend.
The association has called on the public to take note that there will be no business conducted in Abossey Okai, a prominent center for the trade of second-hand car spare parts, from November 1 to 3, 2023, as the strike is in progress.