The Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has disclosed an imminent voluntary disclosure programme that will allow Ghanaians with income abroad to disclose their earnings without penalties.
The Commissioner-DTRD, GRA, Edward Apenteng Gyamerah, made the revelation at the DTRD’s 2024 management retreat held in Takoradi. It was themed ‘Tax Transparency and Certainty: The GRA Way’.
“For 2024, the division intends to begin implementing modified taxation, and also launch a Voluntary Disclosure programme that allows resident persons with income abroad to disclose their earnings without penalties,” Mr Gyamerah stated.
Having exceeded its 2022 revenue figures last year, the DTRD has set a target to collect GH¢111 billion, out of a total GH¢170 billion revenue target for the year 2024.
The DTRD mobilised GH¢82.295 billion to tax revenue in 2023 as compared to GH¢53.444 billion in 2022.
For the 2023 fiscal year, the GRA raised GH113.06 billion in total. The DTRD exceeded its targets by contributing 7.2 percent of the GRA’s revenue mobilised.
In addition to discussing income performance predictions for 2023 and outlining strategies for strengthening DTRD’s position in domestic revenue mobilisation, the retreat looked at innovative approaches to raising enough revenue internally to fund government projects.
The division’s performance, according to Mr Gyamerah, is in line with current economic statistics, particularly the projected growth of 1.7% in GDP recorded in 2023.
“During the financial year, DTRD also recorded a milestone revenue collection which more than doubled in the last four years, from GH¢31.871 billion in 2019 to GH¢82.95 billion, representing a growth of 180% in the last four years,” he noted.
He attributed the success of DTRD in 2023 to policies that broadened the tax base.
He stated that the DTRD was able to enrol more taxpayers as a result of recently introduced tax measures, such as upfront VAT, e-VAT, gaming and betting tax, and voluntary tax disclosure.
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Mr. Gyamerah added, “We remain committed to facilitating voluntary tax compliance through measures such as new technologies and introducing tax policies that support this very cause. On our part as management, we commit to continue putting in place strategic measures and initiatives that facilitate tax compliance.”
He urged the GRA employees to remain as dedicated and committed as they were in 2024.
“The DTRD could not have achieved this milestone without your dedication and commitment. You remained true to the call despite the challenges we faced as a group. Be guided by our common vision of being a world-class revenue administration recognised for professionalism, integrity and excellence. I am confident that we will continue with this momentum in 2024. I look forward to working with all of you in this new financial year,” Mr Gyamerah stated.