GRA tasked to raise GH¢22bn

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been tasked to raise GH¢22 billion from taxes this financial year.

This represents a 3.7 per cent increase over last year’s figure of GH¢17 billion.

A tax expert, Dr Edward Larbi Siaw, of the Ministry of Finance, disclosed this at the first national delegates congress of the GRA Workers Union (GRAWA) at Ejisu, Ashanti Region at the weekend.

He said the present gap in government revenue posed a great challenge to the state, hence the need for revenue collectors to do a lot more to raise some more for the state.

The congress provided the platform for the union, which is an amalgamation of the three revenue organisations, Customs, Value Added Tax (VAT) Service and the Internal Revenue Service, to chart a new path for the GRA and secure their future through improved welfare measures.

While commending the GRA for achieving 97.3 per cent in revenue collection last year in the face of mounting challenges, Dr Siaw said the only pass mark in taxation was 100 per cent and urged the Authority to work harder to meet and possibly exceed this year’s target.

He said key to achieving this goal was the perceived corruption which needed to be tackled head-on to rake in more cash to cushion the economy.