Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, and his Deputy, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, have publicly filed their annual tax returns in a gesture intended to reinforce voluntary compliance and demonstrate leadership accountability during the country’s Tax and Good Governance Month.
Addressing the media after the filing, Dr Forson said the decision to make the process public was intentional and rooted in leadership by example. “We did so for a simple reason: leadership must be demonstrated, not declared,” he stated.
He stressed that compliance must be universal, insisting that all individuals and institutions are subject to the same legal expectations. “Compliance is not just a legal obligation. It is a moral responsibility. When each of us pays our fair share, the burden is distributed more equitably and development is accelerated,” he said.
The Minister urged the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to build on current momentum by intensifying public education and continuing reforms to ease the cost of compliance. He called on the GRA to deepen its outreach and simplify compliance procedures to encourage wider participation, and highlighted that tax revenue supports key sectors including education, healthcare, infrastructure and security.
The public filing comes as the GRA observes Tax and Good Governance Month in April. The Authority has designated 2026 as a year of compliance, with Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong urging taxpayers to voluntarily fulfil their obligations to support the government’s push for growth, job creation and economic transformation.
Dr Forson reaffirmed the Ministry of Finance’s readiness to support the GRA in fully delivering on its mandate, and encouraged individuals and businesses yet to file their returns to do so promptly using available digital platforms and support systems.
The public filing sits within a broader push by the Mahama administration to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation. Ghana’s 2026 tax reform agenda has already included a restructuring of the Value Added Tax (VAT) framework, raising the registration threshold for small businesses and reducing the effective VAT rate, as the government works to simplify the tax system and improve voluntary compliance.
