GRA dismisses allegations of targeting local businesses in Enforcement Campaign

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dismissed claims that its intensified tax enforcement efforts unfairly target local businesses, insisting that the pattern of enforcement reflects the structure of the economy rather than any deliberate policy bias.

According to the Authority, domestically owned enterprises constitute the majority of businesses operating in Ghana, making it inevitable that enforcement actions will affect more local firms than foreign-owned ones.

Assistant Commissioner for Enforcement in the Accra Central Area, Mr Joseph Adjeikwei Annan, explained that the ongoing drive is focused on improving compliance with tax laws and expanding the national tax base, not singling out indigenous businesses.

He described allegations of bias against local companies as unfounded, noting that in many commercial areas, Ghanaian businesses far outnumber foreign-owned enterprises.

“In most places you may find one or two foreign businesses compared to perhaps 20 Ghanaian ones. Naturally, enforcement will affect more local operators, and that can create the wrong perception that we are targeting our own,” he said.

Mr Annan stressed that the GRA applies the law fairly across board, regardless of ownership, adding that any business found in breach of tax regulations would face the same consequences.

“Wrong is wrong and right is right. If you have fallen foul of the law, you have fallen foul of the law. We are making every effort to be as fair as possible,” he said, rejecting suggestions that enforcement disproportionately focuses on Ghanaian businesses.

He further maintained that from his experience on the ground, claims that foreign companies are spared while local firms are targeted are inaccurate.

The GRA has recently stepped up enforcement of tax laws, warning that businesses that fail to meet their tax obligations risk severe sanctions, including arrest and prosecution. The Authority says the intensified measures are part of a broader strategy to strengthen compliance and boost domestic revenue mobilisation.