Former Railways Minister and NPP presidential aspirant, Joe Ghartey has been appointed by President Akufo-Addo to chair the newly reconstituted Board of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The 9-member board, chaired by the Member of Parliament for Essikado Ketan Constituency, includes Dr. Alex Ampaabeng, a tax and fiscal policy enthusiast representing the Finance Ministry, Elsie Addo Awadzi, the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and Julie Essiam, the Commissioner General of the GRA.
Other members are Michael Okyere Baafi, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, representing the Trade Ministry, Susan Akomea, the Immediate Past Municipal Chief Executive of Asante Akim, and Araba Bosomtwe, both representatives of the President. Additionally, Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, a fellow of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, will join the board.
The board was inaugurated today, May 22, 2024, by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, who charged the members to work diligently to enhance Ghana’s revenue mobilization efforts.
“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 leverage their experience to help reduce waste in the system while enhancing 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 pledged to support the board members’ efforts through an 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”
The Finance Minister reminded the 9 member board that; “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”.
Dr. Adam encouraged the board members to remember the country’s obligations under the International Monetary Fund-supported Post-COVID Programme for Economic Growth. He also charged the nine-member board to immediately address fundamental human resource issues, particularly promotions, capacity development, and sub-optimal physical working conditions.
Background
The Board of the GRA is being reconstituted after the former Board Chairman, Dr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, resigned from his position, leading to the dissolution of the entire board. In response, President Akufo-Addo appointed Ms. Julie Essiam as the new Commissioner-General of the GRA, succeeding Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.
Dr. Oteng-Gyasi became the Board Chair of the GRA in August 2021, taking over from Professor Stephen Adei.
Members of the dissolved board included Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Adelaide Ahwireng, Prof. Peter Ohene Kyei, Kwabena Boateng, Dela Obeng-Sakyi, Maxwell Opoku-Afari, and Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei.