Auditor Calls For Tax Position Of Newspapers

The auditor-general, Mr Edward Dua-Agyeman, has requested the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to submit to his office the tax position of 22 private newspaper publishers not later than March 24, 2005.

The companies are Statesman Communications Co. Ltd, publishers of the Statesman, General Portfolio Ltd, publishers of the Chronicle, Professional Link Ltd, publishers of the Crusading Guide, Allied News Ltd, publishers of the Daily Dispatch and Tommark Ads Ltd, publishers of the Free Press, among others.

According to Mr Dua-Agyeman, the Audit Service was reviewing the corporate tax paid by private newspaper publishing companies, as well as the personal income tax paid by their respective directors.

In a letter dated March 14, 2005, the auditor-general asked the IRS commissioner to include the corporate tax assessed and tax paid for all years, directors personal income assessed and tax paid for all years, national reconstruction levy paid or outstanding, any withholding tax outstanding, among other things.

Mr Dua-Agyeman said in an interview in Accra yesterday that, that had become necessary following the submission of the tax liability of Militant Publications Ltd, publishers of the Insight, by the chief inspector of taxes, Accra district “2” Nima office of the IRS.