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Accra Brewery Limited, producers of local alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages which includes Club beer, Club Shandy, Beta Malt and Castle Milk Stout have been found to be in default of Ghana Revenue Authority's directive not to transfer Tax Stamps to third parties. This discovery came to light in an unannounced visit to one of their key distributors in Gbawe in Accra by GRA officials.
The distributors not only had different rolls of tax stamps in their possession which, according to them, was given to them by ABL but also excisable products without the stamps affixed on them.
Speaking to the media, Mr Kwabena Apau Anto, Chief Revenue Officer and Head of the Excise Unit said that only manufacturers, those with old stock who have applied to the GRA for the stamps and importers authorized by the Commissioner General of the GRA, can affix the tax stamps.
He explained that "the GRA is the only institution authorized to supply the stamps in any quantity. ". He urged retailers and distributors with old stock to apply for the stamps from the GRA and not from third parties. "No company is allowed to transfer stamps" he added.
Mr Apau Antonoted that any manufacturer supplied with tax stamps will account for them pointing out that the seized ones will be sent to their headoffice for assesment and ABL made to pay the penalties. He said that any company found misusing the tax stamps will pay 300 per cent of the duties and taxes calculated on them, face a jail term of up to five years or have their license withdrawn.
Mr Anto said that the Authority has equipment that can scan and track the companies that the stamps have been assigned to and the types of products they are meant to be affixed on. He again disclosed that some people have been arrested for possessing fake stamps.
Other places visited include a Voltic distributor in Achimota where products including 7 packs of 500ml Voltic bottles, 6 packs of 350ml Sprite bottles, and 8 bottles of different flavors of De Vina Non Alcoholic wine without the tax stamps were seized.
N.J Ventures in Mile 7 also had products without the stamps resulting in the seizure of 2 cartons of Canned Malt and 1 pack of 2 litre bottles of Fanta. All the seized products will be sent to the customs warehouse where unpaid taxes will be calculated and penalties added. Mr Anto stated "the stamps are a way of protecting consumers because they
ensure the authenticity and safety of the products as well as generate revenue for the state" adding that before any product leaves the manufacturer, the stamps must be affixed at the point of production.
