Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has charged the newly constituted Governing Board of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to take bold, immediate action against tax evasion, smuggling, and internal corruption. He made the call during the board’s inauguration in Accra on April 30, 2025.
“We cannot allow revenue to leak through corruption or inefficiency,” Dr. Forson said. “Every cedi lost is a classroom not built, a road left untarred, or a hospital unequipped.”
The minister underscored the government’s fiscal goals, including raising annual domestic revenue by at least 0.6 percentage points of GDP, targeting a primary fiscal surplus of 1.5% by the end of 2025, and cutting the external debt service-to-revenue ratio from 28% in 2022 to 18% by 2028.
His remarks came amid heightened urgency to shore up domestic finances following the withdrawal of more than US$234 million in U.S. aid for health, education, and economic programs.
To curb revenue losses, Dr. Forson outlined a series of reforms:
- Rotation Policy: GRA officers will now be rotated every two years to reduce the risk of collusion and improve accountability.
- Performance-Based Incentives: A new MoU with the Commissioner-General will introduce performance bonuses to reward integrity and efficiency.
- Operational Modernization: The GRA will undergo digital and structural reforms to build a transparent, citizen-oriented tax administration.
“These aren’t just administrative tweaks,” Dr. Forson said. “They’re necessary to restore public trust and improve our ability to finance development independently.”
The minister also pointed to recent interventions in the gold sector, where Ghana has moved to centralize gold purchases through a newly established Gold Board.
The board expected to become the sole buyer of gold from licensed aggregators and traders seeks to boost state revenues and curtail smuggling in artisanal mining.
The move follows a surge in gold exports, which rose 53.2% to $11.64 billion in 2024. Nearly $5 billion came from the legal small-scale mining sector alone.
In response to a recent investigative documentary exposing bribery and porous border practices, the GRA has launched a probe into Customs operations.
A special team has been tasked with reviewing officers’ conduct and investigating smuggling routes used to dodge duties.
Dr. Forson said such measures are vital to “ensuring that Ghana’s borders are not just lines on a map, but strongholds for national integrity.”
He closed by pledging full support from the Ministry of Finance and urging the new board to lead with transparency and boldness.
“Every integrity-driven decision you take brings us closer to a self-reliant, inclusive Ghana,” he told the board.
By: J.W Quarm
