Finance Minister inaugurates Ghana Revenue Authority Board

A nine-member Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Board has been inaugurated to guide the authority in the performance of its functions and formulation of administrative policy for smooth and efficient management of the authority.

Mr Kweku Kwarteng, the Deputy Minister of Finance, who administered to members the oath of office and the oath of secrecy, urged them to address revenue administration inefficiencies, corruption and to overhaul the prevailing culture of the Authority.

“Government is charging this new Board to effectively work towards ensuring that there is a renaissance within GRA leading to improvements in its operations and achieving revenue targets,” he said.

Mr Kwarteng said domestic revenue mobilisation was the key anchor of government’s fiscal policy as it was important for sustaining investments in health, education, infrastructure and other key sectors.

He reiterated government’s commitment to increasing domestic revenue mobilisation through measures, including continued tax administration reforms, improved transfer pricing audits and improved tax compliance through data matching.

Mr Kwarteng said the country’s middle-income status had imposed the demand for increased domestic resource mobilisation in achieving economic and social prosperity as aid flows from donors dwindled.

He urged the Board to bring their experiences to bare to ensure that tax administration was properly aligned with the country’s economic and development goals.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta urged the members of the board to be aggressive in the performance of their duties and to help the country to collect its dues from the citizens.

He urged them to gather courage and strength to deliver on their mandate.

Speaking on behalf of Board members, Mr. Harry Owusu, Chairman of the Board expressed appreciation to the government for the honour done them and pledged to mobilise revenue to meet set targets and government development agenda.

He said the Board would not fail government and called for full cooperation and support of the Ministry to be able to deliver on their mandate.