The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Sarpong, has indicated that the agency is stepping up measures to retrieve substantial sums owed to the state by firms in the oil and media sectors.

Speaking during a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee on Monday, January 12, Mr Sarpong disclosed that Media Development Limited is indebted to the GRA in the amount of US$313,040, while ECO Atlantic has unpaid liabilities totalling US$47,200.

He explained that in cases involving companies that are not physically operating in Ghana, the GRA has engaged the Petroleum Commission to use its regulatory channels to alert such firms of their outstanding obligations and facilitate recovery whenever they conduct business locally.

“To ensure these monies are retrieved, we are also relying on international cooperation through Exchange of Information frameworks with partner countries. The outstanding amounts have been forwarded to tax authorities in the jurisdictions where these companies are incorporated, so they can assist in enforcing payment,” he said.

Mr Sarpong further noted that the GRA has deepened its working relationship with the Petroleum Commission and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, stressing that companies that default on their statutory payments will be denied required approvals and permits until their arrears are fully settled.