Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, the Minister for Finance, has emphasized the crucial role of revenue collection institutions in supporting the government’s efforts to generate revenue, essential for meeting the development needs of Ghanaians. During a working visit to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) staff at Aflao, the Minister stressed that without adequate revenue, the government would struggle to finance its budget, leaving borrowing as the only alternative.
The Minister commended the GRA staff for their remarkable contributions to mobilizing revenue, funding critical government programs, and acknowledged their significant progress in recent years. He encouraged them to double their efforts, assuring them of his commitment to support them throughout his tenure. The Minister, referring to himself as the “cheerleader” of the GRA, emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, “We rise together and fall together.”
Dr. Amin Adam hinted at plans for reforms, including promotions for deserving staff, renovation of staff bungalows, and provision of necessary logistics to motivate them. With only a few months left in his tenure, he urged the staff to work together to make his time as Finance Minister memorable, leaving a legacy of exceptional revenue collection.
The Minister also addressed the need to restore public confidence in the GRA, which had been affected by negative perceptions due to the actions of a few individuals. He warned that appropriate sanctions would be applied to officers whose actions or inactions continued to tarnish the image of the GRA, affecting revenue mobilization.
The Commissioner General of the GRA, Ms. Julie Essiam, commended the Minister for his commitment to the welfare of GRA staff and reiterated the importance of increasing revenue collection, especially in this election year. She challenged the staff to overturn the trend of revenue collection not meeting targets during election years, emphasizing that it was possible and doable with their collective efforts.
Ms. Essiam highlighted that the staff were key to implementing strategies such as revenue growth, IMF structural benchmarks, and the Medium Term Revenue Strategy, and urged them to help prove doubters wrong. The Minister’s visit aimed to motivate and encourage the GRA staff to work towards achieving these goals and leaving a lasting legacy.
