Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has said the Commission is going ahead with implementation of the Tax Identification Number process (TIN) despite low public education.

Emmanuel Kofi Nti stated that anybody who fails to get the TIN will be denied of service by state institutions. He was addressing journalists in Accra on Tuesday. 

The Ghana Revenue Authority is urging banks and government agencies to demand a TIN from Ghanaians before transacting business with them.

“[The] policy is not a new tax for citizens even though it is to enhance revenue generation by ensuring that all potential taxpayers are captured,” he said.

Mr Kofi Nti has however warned any staff of the authority who is found collecting monies from unsuspecting individuals to get their TIN registered will be sanctioned.

“I wish to reiterate that registration for TIN comes at no cost to the taxpayer, it is absolutely free…we appeal to the public to take note that this is a free service and to report any staff of GRA who violates this principle. Such erring staff will be severely sanctioned,” he said.

According to Mr Nti, the law which mandates the GRA to issue TIN to all citizens was passed in 2011 and adequate measures were put in place to ensure that the general public complies with it.

Beginning April 1, 2018, a person cannot open a bank account, file a case in court, acquire a passport or obtain a driving licence without the TIN.
Without it, a person cannot also register a vehicle, clear goods in commercial quantities from the ports or register any title to land or any document affecting land.

The TIN is an eleven digit identification of taxpayers to ensure tax compliance. The GRA believes the unique ID numbers will allow proper monitoring and broaden the tax net to cater for those formally outside the tax net.

Over one million TIN numbers have already been issued so far, and the GRA expects many more individuals to get registered, with the collaboration of all partner agencies.