The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched a Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance campaign aimed at educating taxpayers and encouraging businesses to voluntarily meet their tax obligations.
Speaking at the launch, the Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD), Dr Martin Kolbil Yamborigya, stressed the importance of tax compliance to Ghana’s development.
He said tax revenue provides government with the resources needed to finance essential public services, including schools, hospitals and other development projects.
Dr Yamborigya expressed concern over the relatively low number of active VAT taxpayers in the country.
According to him, although Ghana has a population of about 30 million people, only about 60,000 taxpayers are currently active VAT payers.
He described the situation as a national challenge and urged businesses to embrace voluntary compliance rather than wait for GRA officials to visit their premises.
The campaign is expected to focus on taxpayer education and awareness while encouraging businesses to understand and fulfil their VAT obligations.
The event also featured an address by the Minister for Finance, alongside remarks from Mrs Ernestina Appiah of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana (CITG), Mr Clement Boateng of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), and Mr John Defor of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
The launch was attended by several stakeholders, including the Commissioner of the Support Services Division (SSD), Hon. Alex Adomako Mensah, as well as representatives of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) and the Christian Council of Ghana.
The GRA said the campaign forms part of broader efforts to strengthen tax compliance and improve domestic revenue mobilisation through voluntary participation by taxpayers.
