Joe Ghartey appointed Board Chair of Ghana Revenue Authority

President Akufo-Addo has named Joe Ghartey, a former minister of railways, to lead the reorganized board of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Elsie Addo Awadzi, the second deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana, Julie Essiam, the commissioner general of the GRA, and tax and fiscal policy enthusiast Dr. Alex Ampaabeng are the other members of the nine-member board, which is presided over by the member of parliament for the Essikado Ketan Constituency.

The other members of the board are the Trade Ministry’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi; the President’s immediate past municipal chief executive, Asante Akim; Madam Susan Akomea; and Madam Araba Bosomtwe, who is also a representative of the President.  Additionally joining the board is Mr. Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, a fellow of the Ghana College of Pharmacists.

Today, May 22, 2024, the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, gave the board members an assignment to work diligently toward enhancing Ghana’s revenue mobilization campaign.

“We must improve revenue mobilization to achieve our medium-term revenue target of 18%-20% tax/GDP ratio and we must meet all indicative targets and structural benchmarks related to revenue under the Fund programme”, he said.

He urged the members to bring their experience on board to help reduce waste in the system while improving revenue collection.

“Given your extensive backgrounds and professional expertise, I am confident that each Board member will meet the expectations of government, and the general public”, he stressed.

Dr. Adam promised to support the efforts of the board members with the open-door policy.

“I am available to meet at short notice and also want to see more regular updates on revenue performance to ensure we remain aligned and focused as we advance”

“We must leave the inauguration with a dedicated resolve to change the narrative and eclipse a 20% threshold of revenue to GDP within the shortest possible time” Mr Adams stated.

Dr. Adam urged the board members to remember the nation’s responsibilities under the Post COVID Programme for Economic Growth, which is funded by the International Monetary Fund.

The Minister also directed the nine-member board to address basic human resource problems right once, emphasizing that capacity building, promotions, and inadequate physical workspaces are crucial issues.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com