The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that it has exceeded its target of signing on 600 large companies on its Electronic (E)-VAT platform by 40 companies.
In May 2024, the authority pledged to bring onboard over 600 large companies onto its E-VAT system by June of the same year to enhance revenue collection and monitoring.
Speaking at a brief meeting with the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rev. Dr. Paul Boafo, the Board Chair of GRA, Joe Ghartey noted that the company is planning to onboard more companies on its E-VAT platform.
“For example, there is a policy of digitizing the collection units. Studies have shown that if tax collection is digitized, it’s easier to monitor and it will increase revenue.”
“In the beginning, it was difficult to let people understand. So the GRA set a target of 600 large companies to be on-boarded. This simply means that the company should be put on a system which is digitized. By the time the GRA was declaring their final result, they have reached 640, passing the target by 40.”
Mr. Ghartey expressed hope that the GRA can increase its target for the next two months.
“Management has set another target for the next two months but the board has set a higher target. And I know they will succeed by God’s grace”.
The Commissioner-General of the GRA, Julie Essiam stressed the need to develop partnerships with various faith based organisations to educate the public about tax compliance.
“As we move forward, our vision is to leverage this pioneering partnership as an operating model across all faith based organisations”, she said.
On his part, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Paul Boafo, urged the general public to abide by the laws of Ghana and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the nation.
The visit to the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church by the GRA is to strengthen its partnership with the church.
The visit was led by the Commissioner General and the Board Chair of GRA, flanked by board members, Deputy Commissioners and other high ranking staff of the Authority.
The revenue mobilization agency in its bid to achieve its annual target of ¢149 billion by the end of 2024, intends to partner various faith based institutions in the country to create awareness on tax compliance and encourage members of the society to be tax abiding.