Joe Ghartey, the newly appointed Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has committed to enhancing the government’s revenue goals while preserving the Authority’s business-friendly ethos.
President Nana Akufo-Addo appointed Ghartey to this role on Wednesday, May 22, and during a brief inaugural ceremony overseen by the Finance Minister, Ghartey, who also serves as the current Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, underscored the urgency of meeting GRA’s targets in a timely manner.
During a concise inaugural event overseen by the Finance Minister, Mr. Ghartey, who concurrently holds the position of Essikado-Ketan MP, emphasized the critical need to promptly achieve GRA’s targets.
“The GRA is very crucial in the life of our nation, especially at this time and to say the level of revenue we collect in this country in percentage wise needs much to be desired is a gross understatement,” he said.
Mr Ghartey added: “The Minister in his speech has clearly given us his thinking about where we should be going. The balance is to increase the revenue and at the same time to be business-friendly to try to keep up with the target.”
He assumes the position previously held by Dr. Oteng-Gyasi, who stepped down on March 26, 2024, resulting in the dissolution of the GRA Board.
As part of the restructuring, Rev. Dr. Amishaddai Owusu-Amoah, the former Commissioner General, has been replaced by Miss Julie Essiam. Mr. Ghartey, embracing this change, stressed the importance of adaptability and innovation in navigating the evolving tax landscape.
Prioritizing digital solutions, the GRA aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and the taxpayer experience, fostering a more dynamic and responsive revenue ecosystem.
Other board members include former Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr. Alex Ampaabeng; Commissioner-General for GRA, Julie Essiam; Deputy Minister for Trade, Michael Okyere Baafi; and 2nd Deputy Governor for the Bank of Ghana, Elsie Addo Awadzi.
Additionally, Susan Akomea, Immediate Past Municipal Chief Executive of Asante Akyim Central and co-founding member of CENAB UK; Araba Bosomtwe, an MPA holder with international administrative experience; and Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, a fellow of the Ghana College of Pharmacists and board member of ADB Bank, also serve on the board.