GRA to achieve 2021 revenue target despite coronavirus

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is hoping to achieve its revenue target in the year 2021 despite the coronavirus challenges in the country.

The Division said the virus affected its revenue generation in the year 2020 but due to the pragmatic measures that have been put in place to curtail the virus, it is hoping to achieve its target of GH¢53.5 billion.

The Commissioner for the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Col. Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd), said this on Onua TV’s Maakye on Wednesday hosted by Adwoa Konadu-Yiadom.

He said the 2021 revenue target set by the government for the Division is GHS53.5 billion as against the year 2020 which was GH¢47.3 billion.

Col. Damoah said “we could not achieve the GH¢47.3 billion….but there was an amendment in the law because we had no idea of the COVID-19”.

He said “when it [COVID-19] came and we saw the impact on the economy, we went to Parliament for a Mid-year review of the target and it was reduced by GH¢5bilion but we were able to generate GH¢43 billion”.

Asked how they would generate the targeted GH¢53.5 billion in the year 2021 because the COVID-19 is still in the system, Col. Damoah said “we have now seen the nature of the virus and the government has also come out with good policies to combat it. The vaccines are coming and we believe that with the kind of education and sensitization, we should be able to go back to work and then we can achieve our target”.

Col Damoah said “with the directives to follow the protocols, it will help us to be able to work and that may mean that it will not have a great impact on the economy and we may go beyond GH¢53 billion if we are not able to achieve the full target”.