George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority has praised the staff and management for the sustained efforts of ensuring fiscal stability of the Nation.
“The Board places on record its appreciation for the sustained efforts of management and staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority in the discharge of your mandate to mobilise revenue in support of national development.”
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan said their contributions remained central to fiscal stability and the effective functioning of the State.
The Board Chair was speaking at the 2026 Top Management Retreat, an engagement convened to take stock of institutional performance, reaffirm strategic priorities, and provide direction for the period ahead.
The retreat theme, “Transforming for Impact and Growth: Focusing on People and Performance,” he noted reflected the Board’s strategic outlook for the Authority at this stage of institutional progress.
The Board Chair noted that it also fell in line with government’s broader policy direction and firmly aligned with the President’s Reset Agenda, which called for renewed institutional effectiveness, strengthened public sector delivery, and restored public confidence.
The above, would ensure that the machinery of the state worked effectively for citizens, adding that the “GRA sits at the very center of this national reset”.
Mr Ricketts-Hagan noted that though systems, processes, and technology were enablers, integrity, professionalism, and motivation of staff determined outcomes.
“The Board therefore expects leadership at all levels to place deliberate emphasis on staff welfare, ethical conduct, and capacity development as values drivendriven workforce is essential not only for performance, but for safeguarding the credibility and reputation of the Authority”.
In this regard, “Management is encouraged to continue strengthening internal leadership culture, one that is firm on standards, fair in treatment, and responsive to the legitimate needs of staff and stakeholders alike”.
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan said revenue mobilisation remained critical national priority and so strengthening domestic revenue was fundamental to supporting macroeconomic stability, funding public services, and advancing Ghana’s development objectives.
The Board therefore expects a sustained focus on measurable performance outcomes, improved operational efficiency, and effective coordination across divisions, adding that performance must be intentional, data drivendriven, and anchored in accountability.
He said the Board, in 2026, was fully committed to providing the necessary policy direction, oversight, and support required for Management to succeed.
Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, the Commissioner General of GRA said the GRA had been tasked with mobilising GH¢230 billion in domestic revenue.
“This is an ambitious target, but it is also a necessary one for financing national development, strengthening fiscal sustainability, and supporting Government’s broader economic agenda.”
He noted that meeting the target would not be achieved by business as usual but a transformed Authority-one that is strategically aligned, operationally efficient, ethically grounded, and trusted by taxpayers.
The Commissioner General said leadership must be deliberate, cohesive, and forward looking to achieve it, adding “the GH¢230 billion target demanded disciplined execution, smarter use of data, stronger collaboration across divisions, and a relentless focus on results”.
He said, “We have a challenge of around 60 percent VAT tax gap and upwards of percent Corporate Income Tax gap…Closing these gaps requires efficiency, consistency, and credibility. Performance is about ensuring that every cedi collected is anchored in sound processes, integrity, and fairness.”
He added that compliance was critical to the successful mobilisation of revenue, especially as the scale required deepening voluntary compliance.
The Authority is implementing initiatives: ITAS to revolutionise tax administration, an AI pilot project for Customs classification and valuation, Sentinel for the collection of VAT for digital transactions, and Regulatory reforms to effectively operationalise the new VAT Act.
Mr. Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister said, the work of the GRA underpins development across which called for a modern tax administration to improve upon compliance to finance development in a fair manner.
Nana Kobena Nketsiah V, the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs urged the managers to be conscious of their contributions towards national development devoid of “lies, cheating and thievery”.
He said, “leave with a transformative attitude from this retreat so that it does not become the usual talk shop and waste of space, time and resources”.
Nana Kobena Nketsiah V spoke about the need to incorporate indigenous modes and approaches to widen the tax nets so that more people voluntarily honour their tax obligations.
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