Finance Minister charges new members to bolster domestic revenue mobilisation as GRA Board is inaugurated

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has inaugurated a new Governing Board for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

This board consists of nine members. Their main task is to strengthen domestic revenue mobilization during tough fiscal times.

The chairperson is George Ricketts Hagan, a former Deputy Finance Minister and MP for Cape Coast South.

The other members are:
1. Anthony Sarpong (GRA Commissioner)
2. Patrick Nomo
3. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare
4. Dr. Zakaria Mumuni
5. Faustina Nelson
6. George Ayiretey
7. Laadi Ayamba
8. Francis-Xavier Sosu

A Defining Task Ahead

At the inauguration in Accra, Dr. Forson thanked President John Dramani Mahama for appointing this “distinguished team.”

He called this a defining moment for the GRA.

Dr. Forson noted that the government faces significant fiscal constraints now.

These include tight financing conditions and limited access to capital markets after debt restructuring.

He stressed that optimizing domestic revenue mobilization is the government's top priority for 2025 and beyond.

The government aims to increase revenue collection by at least 0.6 percentage points of GDP each year.

They target a primary fiscal surplus of 1.5% of GDP by 2025.

Additionally, they plan to reduce the external debt service-to-revenue ratio from 28% in 2022 to 18% by 2028.

Dr. Forson highlighted recent USAID funding withdrawals as urgent reminders to strengthen Ghana’s revenue base.

Key Focus Areas

He outlined several strategic areas for the new Board and GRA management.

These include modernizing operations, building integrity, combating smuggling, and reforming internal processes.

Collaboration with the Ministry of Finance’s Revenue Policy Division is also essential.

“The public must trust GRA’s commitment to fairness,” he emphasized.

Corruption leads to lost revenue, which affects schools, roads, healthcare, and sanitation services.

To combat this, he announced a policy to rotate GRA officers every two years.

This will help reduce collusion and enhance professional experience within the institution.

Dr. Forson also mentioned plans for a performance bonus Memorandum of Understanding with the Commissioner-General and other key officials to improve accountability.

Commitment to Deliver for Ghana

In closing, Dr. Forson reaffirmed his Ministry's support for the new GRA Board and management in fulfilling their duties.

“Every tax cedi collected brings us closer to building a prosperous Ghana,” he stated confidently.

He then officially declared the Governing Board of the Ghana Revenue Authority inaugurated.