Establish centralise digital platform for taxpayers to file annual financial statements – Deloitte Associate Director to government

Gilbert Yirenkyi Addo is the Associate Director of Tax and Regulatory at Deloitte Ghana. He has proposed a centralized digital platform for tax filing. This platform would allow taxpayers to submit their financial statements in one place.

Currently, different financial statements are filed with various state institutions. This leads to tax evasion issues. Key institutions like the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Registrar General’s Department could access these statements easily.

Mr. Yirenkyi-Addo spoke as a panelist at the UPSA National Dialogue on Tackling Tax Revenue. He emphasized the need to strengthen the Tax Audit and Quality Assurance Unit (TAQAU) of the GRA, which was established in June 2020.

He expressed concerns about transparency in revenue collection costs. The GRA's annual revenue projections often lack clarity on actual collection costs.

“A true measure of national progress should include both gross revenue and collection costs,” he stated. He highlighted that inefficiencies and corruption can affect generated revenue.

Mr. Yirenkyi-Addo stressed that these factors must be considered for accurate national benefit assessments. He called for better accountability and enforcement of sanctions against corrupt individuals.

However, he noted that enforcing punitive measures is challenging. Corrupt individuals often find protection through local Chiefs despite being identified for wrongdoing.

He urged for stronger accountability measures to ensure meaningful outcomes from tax policies. The UPSA National Dialogue attracted policymakers, politicians, industry stakeholders, academia, and students.