The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has advanced its drive to bridge technical skill gaps within its workforce, graduating nearly 300 officers from its flagship Professional Course in Taxation (PCT).

The initiative, spearheaded by the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) Technical Training Unit, aimed to equip operational staff with modern tax administration tools, ethical grounding, and the technical expertise required to navigate an increasingly digitalized global economy.

Mr. Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, the Commissioner-General of the GRA, speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the GRA IT Training Centre, emphasised that human capital development is now a central pillar of the Authority’s transformation agenda.

He said that if one wanted to build wealth for a century or more, they must build human beings, underscoring the Authority’s commitment.

He noted that building people through training and development was a key anchor of the Authority’s people and culture pillar, equipping staff for both current challenges and future demands.

The Commissioner-General said that the training was vital for the Authority’s mission of mobilizing critical revenue for national development, particularly as tax laws and auditing techniques evolve.

Mr. Sarpong challenged the graduates to act as agents of change in the field, specifically addressing reports of officers inflating tax liabilities to extort taxpayers.

He asserted that such behaviour must stop, noting that staff conduct can either build trust or erode it.

He urged the graduates to reflect the good image of the Authority by acting professionally, with integrity, and with the best interests of the nation at heart.

Providing an overview of the programme, Mr Lawrence Hotsonyame, Head of the DTRD Technical Training Unit, reported that out of 300 staff enrolled, 289 successfully completed the rigorous 2025 PCT cycle.

“The course was structured into three distinct phases starting with an intensive classroom-based theoretical intervention for the first semester, followed by a two-month practical attachment for real-world application, and concluding with a second semester of classroom intervention to address emerging tax issues,” he said.

Mr. Hotsonyame highlighted that the unit’s mandate extended beyond the PCT to include foundational training for recruits, refresher courses for operational staff, and specialized programs for high-impact sectors such as mining, telecommunications, transfer pricing, and petroleum.

He added that the participation of these officers was a strategic investment, noting that a knowledgeable workforce was the only way to tackle aggressive tax planning and ensure fairness in tax administration.

Awards were presented to outstanding graduates.