The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dismissed recent claims by the member of Parliament for Assin Central constituency in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapong, that the GRA is investigating two companies of his unfairly.
According to Kennedy Agyapong, the Ghana Revenue Authority has deliberately targeted two of his companies (a steel plant project and his existing cold store business) because he is out-spoken and has decided to contest for the flagbearership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.
“[GRA] can never shut down my business because I’ll battle,” Kennedy Agyapong said in an interview on Kumasi based Sompa FM.
Because that steel plant alone will require 1000 workers, I will campaign for the youth. “And you are going there because Kwame Agyapong is loudmouthed, because he wants to contest so you will destroy my business,” Mr Agyapong is further quoted to have said.
However a statement issued by the GRA on Monday says “It “has sighted a recording of a media interview by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central constituency, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong circulating on social media in which he accused GRA officials of constant harassment through unwarranted audits of his companies”.
“GRA wishes to categorically refute the specific allegation of harassment at a factory under construction owned by the MP. We wish to clarify that as part of GRA’s mandate and in line with World Customs Organization’s (WCO’s) guidelines in ensuring adherence to best practices; such exercises are regularly conducted.
“The purpose of such audits, are to measure and improve compliance whiles fine tuning controls. The factory in question together with other companies were thus audited to check the value of goods imported and their intended use” the GRA statement said.
Below is the full statement: