Nana Kwame Bediako, commonly known as Cheddar, the founder of the New Force, has responded to the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) claims of tax fraud against him.
The GRA fined Mr Bediako GH¢50,000 for failing to file personal income tax returns from 2013 to 2016.
According to a January 18 newspaper, Bediako failed to file his taxes for the post-2020 period after settling GH¢209,171 between 2018 and 2020. The GRA projected Bediako’s tax assessments at GH¢2,088,228 and GH¢5,096,536 for 2021-2022, respectively, including penalties for failing to file personal income tax returns.
Mr Bediako has angrily refuted the allegations, claiming that the GRA sought to discredit him and ruin his character. He expressed the notion that he was being targeted despite being one of the few people who constantly paid his taxes.
Nana Kwame Bediako resorted to social media on January 18, 2024, to defend himself and answer the tax evasion allegations.
He noted that if the GRA had issues about his tax payments, they should have taken a more polite approach, such as having a meeting with him, rather than using the publicized technique they did.
Cheddar expressed surprise at the circumstance and questioned the intentions behind the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) decision to publicize his images in connection with the tax fraud claims.
“If we consider the state of the economy and the hardship we face as citizens, it appears the government was doing nothing to alleviate our difficulties.
“The government intends to disgrace me, so it published my pictures in the papers. No, you cannot disgrace a man whom God has graced,” he said.
Speaking in local parlance he added “ I woke up this morning, only to see my pictures on the front cover of multiple publications alleging that I have evaded taxes. I have dedicated almost 22 or 23 years in this country. When it comes to taxes, I have consistently fulfilled my obligations and continue to do so.”
He highlighted that, considering his continuous importation of items into the nation, he would have been unable to avoid taxes without discovery up to this point. He stated that, despite his continually high income, he has always made it a point to pay his taxes on time.