Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is aiming to generate an additional GHC40 billion in revenues over the next few years to support national development.
This disclosure was made by the Acting Commissioner General of the Authority, Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong on Wednesday during the launch of Sustained Tax Education Programme and Modified Taxation Scheme (MTS).
Group picture of the dignitaries at the launch Sustained Tax Education Programme and Modified Taxation Scheme (MTS).
He explained that the new revenue mobilization drives are part of government’s broader effort to reduce dependence on foreign aid and borrowing by strengthening domestic revenue collection.
The Commissioner-General Revealed that GRA estimates that the population of this segment is about 8 million stressing that they are targeting to rope in about 2 million potentially within the next three years into the tax net.
“If we do so with an average of ghc5,000.00 per individual for 2 million people for the next 3 years, we will be bringing into the tax net gh10million Ghana cedis for phase one”, Mr. Sarpong emphasized.
He added that in the phase 2, they hope to bring in additional 6 million people into the tax net.
“…And that would bring in additional gh30billion Ghana cedis into the tax net”.
Mr. Sarpong believes that if successful, this will mark one of the country’s biggest revenue expansion drives in recent years and reshape Ghana’s fiscal landscape and help fund critical development priorities without leaning on external support.
“So this is a huge potential and we believe that with the support of every one, every Ghanaian and with our partners, we should be increasing revenue mobilization going forward”, the Commissioner General assured.
For his part, Deputy Finance, Thomas Nyarko-Ampem, lauded GRA for the move which he said would help enhance government’s revenue agenda for development.
He later stressed assured that the mid-year budget to be read next week Thursday by the Finance Minister will have tax reliefs for citizens.
Source:www.senaradioonline.com
