Internet service provider, Surfline, has been shut down by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for taxes in excess of GHS37 million.
The amount constitutes unpaid Pay As You Earn (PAYE) for workers, Communication Service Tax and penalties since 2015.
Officials of the Debt Management and Compliance Enforcement Unit of the GRA closed down the Roman Ridge Head office of the company for failing to pay or show any commitment to paying the taxes.
Workers were asked to pack out before the GRA used its yellow and red tapes to seal off the doors to the office and the main gate of the company.
Mr Kwasi Bobia-Ansah, the Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Public Affairs of the GRA, said the office was shut down because there was no commitment from the company to pay.
He said the company had been given 10 days to offset the debt or risk legal action.
He said the authority had made it a point to use distress action as the last resort.
“We prefer to dialogue…we just don’t close down. This is one of the last tools available to us,” he said, adding: “We communicate, remind you, etc., but they don’t show enough commitment.”
“Before there is a distress action, there are phone calls and reminders. We don’t just get up one day to shut them down,” Mr Bobia-Ansah stated.
Earlier, Glo escaped closure when it issued a GHS2 million cheque as part-payment for the GHS 10 million it owes.
Mr Bobia-Ansah said there was a commitment from Glo to pay but Surfline did not show that.
The company could lose its assets if it fails to honour its tax obligations.
Source: Graphic.com.gh