Ghana Revenue Authority has introduced a new initiative dubbed; Ghana Revenue Authority Enhancement and Transformation (GREAT) to enhance revenue mobilization to meet growing expenditure.
The Authority said it is embarking on the initiative to significantly uplift its revenue mobilization in the next two years.
Three pillars to compliment this transformational process includes; changing GRA systems to be comparable to the best revenue administration in the world, investing heavily in the training of GRA staff to build their capacity and building a mindset of constant improvement through sourcing of ideas to improve Authority.
Commissioner-General, Kofi Nti speaking at an industry forum in Accra said Nti warned GRA will henceforth go after tax defaulters and evaders with the full application of the tax laws especially after having granted them tax amnesty.
“GRA could potentially collect more taxes than its doing now and we could do better than it is doing presently and should be rubbing shoulders with the best in Africa.
But this can only be done with the cooperation of the public particularly taxpayers at the Light Tax Offices because of the significant role you play in the domestic revenue mobilization.”
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in his remarks assured GRA of government’s support to sanction tax defaulters, evaders and urged especially the elite to set good examples by complying with the tax laws.
He added that the government is determined to widen the tax net in order to make taxation fairer and simpler, whilst ensuring that the simplified automated process makes it convenient for citizens to meet their tax obligations.
“To ensure government achieves its 2018 revenue targets, we have brought a number of reforms and measures into the tax regime. This initiative will improve the efficiency of our tax administration, reduce cost and enhance taxpayer services. These measures include criminal prosecution where taxpayers willfully flout the law,” he explained.
By Mawuli Y. Ahorlumegah