GRA seizes goods without valid excise stamps

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has seized assorted goods sold without valid excise tax stamps to enforce compliance with excise duty laws. Products with counterfeit, inappropriate, or unidentified stamps were also impounded. Owners must pay a penalty of 300 per cent of tax imposed on the goods’ value to reclaim them.

Chief Revenue Officer, Mr Kwabena Apau Awua Anto, said the seizures are part of broader efforts to enforce excise tax regulations and educate the public.

The GRA launched the Sustained National Tax Education Programme with the Modified Taxation Framework on November 5, 2025, to promote voluntary compliance through public engagement.

Excise duty applies to various commonly consumed products: bottled water (17.5 per cent), beer (47.5 per cent), spirits (50 per cent), cigarettes and tobacco (28 pesewas per stick plus 50 per cent ad valorem), and soft drinks, sweetened beverages, and fruit/vegetable juices (20 per cent).

All excisable goods must bear official GRA excise stamps, confirming duties have been paid and quantities properly declared.

Inspections revealed violations including missing stamps, counterfeit stamps, and misuse of local stamps on imported products. GRA uses distinct stamps for imported and local goods and different categories like water, soft drinks, spirits, wines, and tobacco.

Consumers are urged to verify stamps using the GRA Tax Stamp Authenticator app, which allows scanning to confirm manufacturer, product type, and quantity.

GRA collaborates with the Food and Drugs Authority to ensure products are certified before stamps are issued, helping protect consumers.

The three-year National Tax Education Programme aims to improve voluntary tax compliance and boost domestic revenue to support national development.

BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA

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