The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has received a high-level delegation from AB InBev, the parent company of Accra Brewery PLC, at the Authority’s headquarters in Accra.
The delegation was led by the Business Unit President for South East Africa, Mr. Jose D. Moran. He was accompanied by Mr. Alex Jin, BU Finance Director for South East Africa; Mr. Thathokuhle Hlongwa, Country Director, ABL Ghana; and Mr. Philip Kwasi Buafor, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director for ABL Ghana.
On the side of the GRA, the Commissioner-General was supported by Elsie Appau-Klu Esq., Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General, and Mr. Kwasi Appau, Head of Excise at the Customs Division.
The visit was to formally introduce the new regional leadership of AB InBev to the Commissioner-General, reaffirm ABL’s commitment to tax compliance in Ghana, and discuss areas of mutual interest.
Three key issues dominated discussions.
On excise duty, the delegation commended the GRA for its efforts in ensuring a fair excise regime but raised concerns about the impact of frequent adjustments in excise rates on the competitiveness of locally manufactured beverages against imports and illicit products. They appealed for a more predictable excise framework and for incentives that reward companies using local raw materials such as sorghum and maize.
The Commissioner-General explained that excise policy is determined by the Ministry of Finance and approved by Parliament under the Excise Duty Act as amended. He noted that the GRA’s role is to ensure fair and firm enforcement, and commended ABL as one of the country’s most compliant excise taxpayers and a major user of local raw materials, qualifying for the concessionary rate. He assured the delegation that their concerns would be transmitted to the Ministry of Finance.
On the Excise Tax Stamp, ABL, as Ghana’s oldest brewery and a listed company, has been a key partner in the implementation of the Excise Tax Stamp Policy, Act 873. The team discussed operational challenges associated with the policy.
The Commissioner-General assured the delegation that the GRA is committed to resolving all operational issues to ensure smooth compliance.
On improving working relations, both parties agreed on the need to move from a transactional to a more collaborative compliance relationship. The Commissioner-General proposed quarterly dialogues and a dedicated relationship management model.
Mr. Sarpong affirmed that under his leadership, the GRA’s new mantra is “We are a partner in growth.”
In his closing remarks, the Commissioner-General thanked ABL for its significant contribution to domestic revenue in excise, corporate income tax and PAYE, and for its century-long investment in Ghana. He urged ABL to continue to be a model taxpayer and to support the GRA’s Modified Taxation advocacy for small businesses in its distribution chain. He also encouraged ABL to join the One Billion Tax Club to be announced by the GRA.
On his part, Mr. Moran thanked the Commissioner-General for the warm reception and reaffirmed AB InBev’s long-term commitment to Ghana, assuring the GRA of ABL’s continued voluntary compliance and expansion plans.
The meeting ended with a group photograph and a commitment to sustained engagement.
Photo Caption: L-R: Philip Kwasi Buafor, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, ABL; Kwasi Appau, Head of Excise, Customs Division, GRA; Thathokuhle Hlongwa, Country Director, ABL Ghana; Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, Commissioner-General, GRA; Jose D. Moran, BU President, South East Africa, AB InBev; Elsie Appau-Klu Esq., Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General, GRA; and Alex Jin, BU Finance Director, South East Africa, AB InBev.
