The Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Brigadier General Glover Ashong Annan, has lauded the Support Services Division (SSD) as the “unsung engine room” of the Authority, describing it as vital to the GRA’s operations and long-term growth.

Delivering a solidarity message at the SSD’s strategic retreat in Ho, themed “Transforming GRA for Growth and Impact: SSD as the Pivot,” Brigadier General Annan underscored the indispensable role SSD plays in powering the core functions of the GRA—revenue mobilisation, trade facilitation, and compliance enforcement.

“The theme aptly underscores the crucial role SSD plays in shaping the future of our institution,” he noted. “As a Division that drives the core operational arms, SSD is indeed the unsung engine room that enables success across our revenue mobilisation, trade facilitation, and compliance functions.”

He commended the SSD’s leadership and staff for organising what he described as a timely and critical engagement, noting that the Division’s strategic foundation enables operational wings—including the Customs Division—to function effectively. “Without the enabling environment provided by SSD, GRA’s performance would be significantly hindered,” he stated.

Driving Transformation Through Collaboration

Brigadier General Annan highlighted the growing importance of domestic revenue mobilisation in Ghana’s economic strategy. He called on participants to use the retreat as a platform to assess past achievements, confront new challenges, and adopt bold strategies for transformation. “Transforming GRA for Growth and Impact requires the optimisation of current systems, bold thinking, inter-divisional collaboration, and a culture that values excellence,” he emphasised.

From the perspective of Customs operations, he acknowledged SSD’s consistent support as pivotal in enhancing performance at ports, borders, and other entry points, thereby strengthening both revenue collection and national security efforts.

He further stressed the importance of unity and cooperation across all divisions to achieve the GRA’s overarching vision of becoming a world-class revenue administration.

“We owe it to our nation and to the next generation of public servants to continue this path of innovation, collaboration, and transformation,” he concluded. “I wish you fruitful deliberations and a successful retreat.”

High-Level Participation and Strategic Focus

The event brought together top-tier leadership, including the Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr Anthony Kwasi Sarpong; the Commissioner of the Support Services Division; the Commissioner for the Domestic Tax Revenue Division; senior management, representatives of organised labour, and officers from across the country.

As Ghana intensifies its efforts to improve domestic revenue and enhance public financial management, the 2025 SSD Management Retreat reaffirms the critical, behind-the-scenes role of the Support Services Division in driving institutional reform and sustainable national development.