The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has initiated a stern crackdown on landlords and foreign nationals exploiting residential properties for commercial gain, evading taxes.
This follows intelligence revealing a rising trend of homes being transformed into unregistered business hubs, depriving the state of revenue.
Enforcement teams inspected properties in East Legon and Tema, uncovering widespread non-compliance.
The Accra Area Manager, Joseph Annan, stated that many businesses failed to issue VAT receipts consistently, indicating deliberate evasion.
Some properties, leased to foreign nationals, notably Chinese traders, are being used for commerce under the guise of residential use.
“What we have gathered here is that many of these houses around have been given to Chinese and that’s what they do,” he noted.Describing the situation, Annan noted that seemingly ordinary homes are actually bustling with commercial activity.
“You see the houses as residential… but that is not it. They are selling,” he said, adding that more enforcement sweeps are planned. The GRA will prosecute non-compliant landlords and tenants, emphasizing that property owners must take responsibility for tax evasion on their premises.
