Big shot at GRA

Company News of Monday, June 3, 2019

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

2019-06-03

The Ministry of Finance has made changes at the highest level of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as part of ongoing reforms to improve the performance of the tax collection institution.

Mr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah has been appointed Acting Commissioner of the National Tax Revenue Division; Colonel Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd), Acting Commissioner, Customs Division and Ms. Julie Essiam, Acting Commissioner, Support Services Division.

In a statement issued yesterday by the ministry's public relations section in Accra, about 1,418 employees were transferred to other areas of the organization as part of the exercise.

"Further changes will be made to retool the Ghana Revenue Authority in the crucial task of raising revenue to finance the improvement of the lives of our people," he said.

According to the statement, the current reorganization was made necessary by factors, including the need for better domestic revenue mobilization to carry out the "Beyond Aid in Ghana" program.

He said that with Ghana's GDP revenues of 12.6%, a level below the average of 19.9% ​​in West Africa, it was important to 39, increase domestic revenues more efficiently in order to meet the country's commitments.

"The revenues of the GRA have not reached the budget targets and in the last three years, a cumulative deficit of about 3.5 billion GH ¢ s has accumulated," the statement said.

Another factor, he said, was the need for much stronger and world-clbad structures, following its growth over the years and current revenues of about 38 billion GH, which has made it one of the largest institutions in Ghana.

In addition, he cited the increase in the number of employees of the GRA to 12,000, including 5,000 staff members of NABCO, making this authority the largest employer outside the function public.

According to the press release, the new team is expected to lead to transformational changes, including the modernization and digitization of tax processes and systems, as well as the introduction of large data technologies and blockchains to improve compliance. .

The aim is to broaden the tax base to more effectively encompbad the informal sector and the liberal professions, which currently number more than six million eligible taxpayers but only about 2.5 million of whom were registered. and about 1.2 million were direct taxpayers.

According to the release, the team is charged with developing a stronger culture of performance and accountability, improve the integrity of staff and put in place anti-corruption measures.

The Ministry of Finance expects the new management to improve the quality of services provided to taxpayers and create a fair and sound tax organization that ensures fair treatment for every taxpayer.

Addressing revenue losses by both national taxation and customs by ensuring that shared best practices, in order to create a world-clbad organization, are also listed as an expectation.

According to the release, the changes should bring improvements to the institution, including private sector best practices, as well as technical expertise from the public sector to improve functionality.

The statement thanked the current management team for the efforts made in the past and wished the Commissioner General and his new team success as they took the lead in bringing the GRA to a higher level.