Abossey Okai Spare Parts dealers launch 6 Month Tax Policy review

The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has urged its members to remain calm and cooperate with the newly introduced tax policy, following a high-level meeting with Anthony Kwesi Sarpong, Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Association said the meeting clarified that the tax measure has already been passed into law and forms part of Ghana’s existing legal framework. However, the GRA assured dealers that the policy’s implementation will be closely monitored over a six-month period to assess its effectiveness and practical impact.

To facilitate oversight, the Association announced the formation of a six-member committee comprising three representatives from the GRA and three from the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA). The committee will evaluate the policy’s impact and make recommendations that could inform the mid-year budget review.

In a statement on February 18, 2026, the Association expressed optimism that the monitoring period will provide sufficient time to determine whether the policy is effective in its current form or requires adjustments. It emphasized that any potential review would follow due parliamentary process.

Addressing traders’ concerns, the GRA reassured the Association that the policy is not intended to impose additional hardship but to ensure that taxes legitimately due to the state are properly paid. The 20 percent tax component is designed to promote compliance and fairness, the Authority explained.

In response, the Association stressed there is no reason for unrest and pledged to remain calm, cooperative, and law-abiding while observing the policy’s implementation.

“All shops, including those at Abossey Okai, will remain open on Monday, and business activities will continue as usual,” the Association stated.

The group also called for intensified public education on the tax system, noting that a small proportion of traders consistently meet their tax obligations while many others do not. This imbalance, it said, places an unfair burden on compliant operators, particularly when non-compliant traders record substantial turnovers.

Leaders of the Association believe that limited understanding of the tax framework contributes significantly to the problem. They welcomed the six-month monitoring period and expressed hope that by the time the policy is reviewed — potentially by Parliament — it will have been thoroughly evaluated for both effectiveness and practical impact.