Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, has emphasized the vital role of revenue collection institutions in bolstering government income to meet Ghana’s development needs.
He stressed that insufficient revenue would force the government to resort to loans to finance the budget, underscoring the importance of robust revenue generation.
During his visit to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) staff in Aflao, Dr. Adam lauded their efforts in mobilizing revenue for critical government programs and urged them to sustain their momentum.
“I came here to encourage you to double your efforts and not to talk down on the significant progress that you have achieved in recent years”.
“I have just a few months to end my tenure as Finance Minister but help me, let’s work together for this one-year stewardship as a Finance Minister to be memorable for me and all of us so we can say that during the time Amin Adam was Finance Minister, he worked with GRA Officials and revenue collection was the best and this is the legacy we must leave”.
He expressed his commitment to supporting the GRA staff, describing himself as their ‘cheerleader’ and pledging to stand by them throughout their journey, emphasizing collective success and accountability.
Dr. Adam outlined plans for reforms, including staff promotions, renovation of staff accommodations, and provision of necessary resources to enhance motivation and efficiency.
Acknowledging his limited tenure as Finance Minister, he urged collaboration to make their stewardship memorable by achieving optimal revenue collection.
Addressing concerns about public perception, Dr. Adam warned of sanctions for staff whose conduct tarnishes the GRA’s reputation, emphasizing the need to restore public confidence.
Commissioner General of the GRA, Ms. Julie Essiam, praised Dr. Adam’s dedication to staff welfare and echoed his call for increased revenue collection, especially during an election year.
She urged staff to surpass revenue targets and emphasized their pivotal role in various strategies aimed at revenue growth and meeting fiscal benchmarks.
“Guys it is possible and doable, this year, you and your commissioner are going to prove doubters wrong. We as your top management have sat down and deliberated among some pillars which include revenue growth, the IMF structural benchmarks, the Medium Term Revenue Strategy and you are key in all these strategies so help us,”.