The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is overhauling how it engages with taxpayers, moving away from enforcement-heavy practices toward a service-driven model backed by digital tools, multilingual support, and a planned recognition framework for compliant businesses.
Elsie Appau-Klu, Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General of the GRA and Chair of the Modified Taxation Scheme (MTS) Implementation Committee, said the authority is deliberately building a “human face” into tax administration as part of reforms intended to make compliance more attractive and less burdensome.
Speaking at a tax clinic held alongside the 2026 Kwahu Business Forum at the Kwahu Convention Centre, she acknowledged that past enforcement approaches had generated concerns, but said those experiences are actively informing a more taxpayer-friendly posture. Staff across the country, she said, are being trained to treat taxpayers as clients whose voluntary cooperation is central to effective revenue collection.
Central to the reform is the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), which the GRA officially launched on April 1, 2026. The digital platform is designed to modernise revenue collection and make compliance more accessible for individuals and businesses. Appau-Klu described ITAS as a tool intended to reduce the friction historically associated with registration, filing, and payment.
The authority is also expanding taxpayer support channels, including customer service centres nationwide and official WhatsApp lines that operate around the clock to handle public enquiries. The aim, she said, is to ensure that businesses and individuals can get guidance without having to navigate complex bureaucratic processes.
The GRA has adopted what Appau-Klu described as a “hand-holding” approach, guiding smaller firms through compliance rather than relying solely on enforcement, reflecting the reality that many small operators lack the capacity to hire professional accounting or tax support.
Going further, the authority is developing a recognition framework to reward taxpayers who consistently meet their obligations. Appau-Klu said management is working on a transparent system to publicly acknowledge those who are contributing regularly, with the goal of building trust and reinforcing the message that compliance is encouraged through fairness rather than fear.
On the policy side, Appau-Klu pointed to several recent changes easing the burden on households and businesses. These include the abolition of the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, which is expected to return approximately GH¢3.7 billion to individuals and businesses in 2026 alone, as well as the removal of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) and the scrapping of value added tax (VAT) on life and motor insurance.
GRA has set a revenue target of GH¢225 billion for 2026, roughly GH¢50 billion more than the 2025 target, against a tax-to-gross domestic product ratio that stood at approximately 13.6 percent in 2025. Appau-Klu said closing the gap between potential and actual collections will depend significantly on expanding voluntary participation, particularly from the informal sector.
The authority said it will continue public education and digital outreach campaigns as part of its broader 2026 “Year of Compliance” agenda.
