Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has urged the Board and Management of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to intensify efforts to bring more individuals and businesses in the informal sector into the tax system to increase domestic revenue for national development.

The Asantehene said while the GRA had made progress in revenue collection under its current leadership, significant opportunities remained within the informal sector that could help expand the country's revenue base.

He made the call when the Board and Management of the GRA paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace.

Otumfuo stressed the need for Ghana to generate sufficient domestic revenue through taxation to finance its development rather than consistently relying on external funding.

He noted that the focus of tax collection had traditionally been on workers and businesses in the formal sector, leaving a significant portion of economic activity in the informal sector outside the tax net.

“The focus has always been on workers in the formal sector, while there are many others in the informal sector who can be educated on the need to pay taxes to support national development,” he said.

The Asantehene suggested that groups such as hairdressers, mechanics and drivers could be encouraged to form cooperatives as a way of making it easier to identify and integrate them into the tax system.

He also called on the GRA to explore innovative approaches to tax collection while strengthening existing mechanisms to minimise revenue leakages.

While commending the Authority's current leadership for improvements in revenue mobilisation, Otumfuo urged the GRA to intensify efforts to address remaining gaps.

“I have observed an improvement in revenue collection since the current Board and Management took over. This is due to the policies you have put in place. Despite these gains, some leakages still exist, and I urge you to work at addressing them,” he said.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II further called on GRA officials to support the Authority's leadership in executing its mandate to mobilise revenue for the country.

The GRA is currently implementing several tax reforms aimed at improving revenue collection and strengthening tax administration.

The reforms have, however, attracted concerns from some members of the business community, prompting calls for broader stakeholder engagement.

The Board Chairman of the GRA, Ricketts Hagan, said the Authority was engaging stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of the reforms.

He cited the introduction of new systems, including Publican AI, as part of measures being used to improve revenue mobilisation and tax administration.

“There are new systems, including the Publican AI, which have been helping our efforts. I’m sure you heard noise about not being able to comprehend, but people are beginning to understand the system,” he said.

The Commissioner-General of the GRA also outlined some of the reforms being pursued by the Authority and appealed for public support for their implementation.