President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Dr. Martin Kolbil Yamborigya as the Acting Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), effective Monday, November 17, 2025.

Dr. Yamborigya steps into the role previously held by the retired Mr. Edward Apenteng Gyambrah, taking charge of the division central to the government's ambitious drive to significantly boost the national Tax-to-GDP ratio.

This appointment comes at a time when the GRA is under immense pressure to meet its 2025 targets, which include generating a revenue increase equivalent to at least 0.6 percentage points of GDP annually, as committed under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

The Mandate: Digitization and the GH₵200 Billion Target

Dr. Yamborigya’s immediate challenge is to spearhead the transformation needed to achieve the government’s stated long-term goal of increasing the national tax-to-GDP ratio from the current average of roughly 13.8% to a resilient target range of 18–20% by 2027.

This modernization effort rests almost entirely on the shoulders of the DTRD, which is responsible for collecting the majority of the projected GH¢200 billion in tax revenue targeted by the GRA for the 2025 fiscal year.

His mandate focuses on two key pillars:

1. Deepening Digital Transformation

The new Acting Commissioner is expected to accelerate the GRA’s “Enhance ICT Culture” strategic goal. This includes leveraging technological reforms—such as the roll-out of the e-Tax Portal for online filing and payment, the digitization of the Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) process, and the ongoing implementation of Fiscal Electronic Devices (FEDs) and the Citizen App—to formalize the economy and close significant revenue leakages. His experience is critical, as he is tasked with optimizing the DTRD’s operations and integrating its systems with other government agencies for better data analytics.

2. Expanding the Tax Base and Compliance

The DTRD is responsible for collecting Income Tax (Corporate and Personal) and Value Added Tax (VAT)—taxes which currently make up over 70% of Ghana's total tax collections. Dr. Yamborigya's focus will be on strengthening compliance, particularly within the vast informal sector, and ensuring the smooth transition of recently approved fiscal reforms, including major VAT reforms and the elimination of certain taxes (like the e-Levy repeal and changes to withholding tax on bet winnings) designed to ease the burden and promote voluntary compliance.

Two Decades of Tax Administration Expertise

Dr. Yamborigya is renowned as a seasoned tax administrator and public finance expert, boasting over 20 years of experience dedicated to Ghana’s revenue administration.

His extensive career progression within the GRA’s Domestic Tax Revenue Division demonstrates a deep operational understanding of the complexities of the Ghanaian tax environment.

His extensive track record of leadership in both audit and compliance includes high-impact roles such as:

• Head of Tax Audit at the Large Taxpayer Office (LTO): A critical post where he spearheaded reforms focused on broadening the tax net among Ghana's largest corporate entities.
• Head of Audit for Special Audits (Audit Factory).
• Head of Audit at the Legon Medium Taxpayer Office.
• Audit Team Leader for the Tax Audit Unit.

Management and staff of the GRA have congratulated Dr. Yamborigya, wishing him success in his new role as Acting Commissioner of the DTRD.

He is anticipated to be a driving force in the government’s push for a more resilient, self-financing, and digitized economy.