Gov't to sanction state, private entities that fail to enforce TIN requirements

The government in 2019 will begin to apply sanctions to state and private entities that fail to enforce TIN requirements, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said.

Presenting the 2019 budget on Thursday, Mr Ofori-Atta said, “In 2019, we will begin to apply sanctions to state and private entities that fail to enforce these TIN requirements.

Additionally, the government, in providing social services and benefits provided by the state, will require beneficiaries or their guardians to have a TIN. These will complement the current efforts by the GRA to get more persons and businesses on their radar.”

The TIN policy, which began on April 1, 2018, makes it impossible for anyone to clear goods at the port, register land at the Lands Commission; obtain a tax clearance certificate from the GRA or even open a bank account without the TIN registration.

In addition, one cannot register a company at the Registrar General’s Department nor register a vehicle at the Driver and Vehicles Licensing Authority without a TIN.

Furthermore, one cannot obtain payment for jobs done for government or bid for a contract in any government agency.

In the event that a person is duped, ejected by a property owner or any other issue that will require that he files a complaint at the court, the person will not be able to do it without a TIN.

The introduction of the policy has met with a mixed reaction from the public.

While some people have described it as a good step to firm up Ghana’s tax base, others say the implementation process is discouraging and may defeat the purpose for which it was introduced.