The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has intensified calls for tax compliance, urging citizens to take personal responsibility for national development by filing and paying their taxes.
Speaking at a public awareness float to mark Tax and Good Governance Month in Accra, Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division, Dr. Martin Kolbil Yamborigya, said government’s ability to deliver roads, hospitals and other public services depends largely on taxes paid by citizens.
He said the Authority has rolled out nationwide support systems, including tax clinics at its offices, to assist individuals who may not understand how to file their returns. He added that the GRA has also begun a three-year sustained tax education campaign using media platforms and direct engagement to improve compliance.
Dr. Yamborigya disclosed that beyond deductions made by employers, individuals are required by law to declare all other sources of income, including rent and investments, when filing annual returns.
A tax analyst with the Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana, Francis Timore Boi, said low compliance remains a major challenge, despite widespread demand for improved public services. He noted that countries with better infrastructure often achieve it through consistent tax contributions from citizens.
He said the ongoing campaign is aimed at helping Ghanaians understand that even small, regular tax payments can collectively drive national development.
