Chief Revenue Officer of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Victor Akogo, has cautioned property owners in Ghana on sanctions ready to be implemented as a result of failure to pay property rate.
Speaking in an interview with Kwaku Dawuro, on Movement In The Morning, on Movement TV/Wontumi radio, Mr Akogo forewarned that there are penalties and sanctions to property owners who refuse to pay property rates while elaborating on property rates going digital. According to Mr Akogo, GRA officials who move around to collect property rates have been brought to a halt, hence property rates must be paid via the official website of the company.
In response to the possible sanctions, he said that ”Because GRA has the experience with law, when there’s failure to pay, we make it known to you that it is backed by law hence you have to pay. Ghana is one country that is bounded by law, so it is every citizen’s responsibility to respect and abide by it. The law gives us the right to charge property rate on every immovable building and it is under the district assembly.
Article 936 gives the district assembly the right to prosecute and take you to court when you faulter, or refuse to pay in their district. When taken to court, it can seize your house for auction to another person, or make you pay a penalty for failure to pay property rate.”