In a bold reaffirmation of its strategic role within the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Support Services Division (SSD) has launched its 2025 Management Retreat in Ho, under the transformative theme: “Transformation for Impact and Growth — SSD as Pivot.”

The retreat, which brings together senior management, partners, and key stakeholders, marks a turning point for the SSD—the division responsible for providing the administrative and operational backbone of the GRA. With transformational leadership at its core, the SSD is focusing on redefining internal systems, organisational culture, and service delivery to better align with the GRA’s broader national development agenda.

A Call to Leadership and Innovation

Delivering the opening address, Hon. Dr Alex Adomako Mensah, Commissioner for the Support Services Division, called on participants to go beyond traditional roles and embrace a new era of dynamic leadership and innovation.

“It is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you today in this vibrant city of Ho — a place that breathes life, energy, and possibility,” Dr Mensah began. “Welcome to our 2025 SSD Management Retreat, where we gather not just as a team, but as architects of transformation, ready to redefine the future of the Ghana Revenue Authority.”

He emphasised that the theme, “Transformation for Impact and Growth,” goes beyond a slogan—it represents a clear strategic shift and a call to bold action.

“Our theme is not merely a slogan. It is a declaration. A promise. A call to arms,” Dr Mensah stated. “Today, we step into our rightful role as the strategic backbone of GRA—no longer content to operate in the shadows, but determined to lead from the front.”

Redefining the Role of SSD

Historically viewed as an administrative support unit, the SSD is now repositioning itself as the driver of innovation, institutional resilience, and service excellence. The Commissioner noted that the division’s performance across key operational areas—including human resources, procurement, finance, general services, and ICT—directly influences the GRA’s success in revenue mobilisation, compliance, and taxpayer engagement.

Dr Mensah encouraged SSD managers to move away from short-term fixes and focus instead on sustainable, high-impact strategies that foster efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
“Our task is not to be comfortable with the status quo but to challenge it. To innovate. To ask ourselves what legacy we are building and how we are enabling the GRA to better serve the Ghanaian people,” he said.

He further underscored the importance of data-driven decision-making, digital transformation, capacity building, and a relentless focus on performance management.

Strategic Sessions for Institutional Excellence

The retreat agenda includes strategic review sessions, innovation workshops, leadership development modules, and stakeholder engagement forums—all aimed at sharpening focus and enhancing inter-departmental collaboration.

Ho as a Symbol of Renewal

Dr Mensah explained that the selection of Ho as the retreat venue was deliberate, noting that the Volta Regional capital, renowned for its peace, culture, and emerging infrastructure, symbolises the kind of renewal and progress the SSD aims to achieve.

“This city inspires renewal — and it is the perfect place for us to renew our vision, recalibrate our focus, and recommit to a common purpose,” he said.

A New Direction for SSD

As the retreat unfolds, stakeholders expect clear outcomes, including actionable policy reforms, improved coordination systems, measurable KPIs for departmental heads, and a renewed roadmap for internal transformation.

Dr Mensah concluded with a rallying call: “Let us be bold. Let us be agile. Let us lead this transformation with passion and purpose. The time to pivot is now — and SSD must be at the centre of it.”

The 2025 SSD Management Retreat continues throughout the week with high-level sessions designed to drive internal transformation and set a new benchmark for excellence within the GRA’s national operations.