as ITAS System Targets GH₵310B Revenue
By Philip Antoh
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has embarked on a major digital transformation with the launch of its Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS).
This sweeping technological upgrade is designed to modernize tax collection and support an aggressive mobilization strategy aimed at doubling Ghana’s domestic revenue to GH₵310 billion by December 2028.
At a stakeholder engagement in Accra attended by business leaders, media practitioners, and tax experts, GRA Commissioner-General, Mr. Anthony Sarpong outlined the system’s core objectives.
He emphasized that ITAS is engineered to remove bureaucratic red tape, enhance the customer experience, and establish a system of mutual accountability between tax administrators and the public.
According to the GRA, ITAS represents a significant departure from traditional, often cumbersome tax procedures. The platform utilizes automation to ensure filing is timely and precise. Crucially, it introduces built-in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that monitor operational timelines for both the state and taxpayers.
“ITAS is a system that actually holds both GRA officials and the taxpayer accountable,” Sarpong explained in a post-session interview.
“Within ITAS, there are timelines for completing activities… If a taxpayer makes a request, the system shows the timeline by which GRA must respond. If we do not respond, ITAS will notify the taxpayer that the completion timeline has elapsed.”
While Mr. Sarpong described ITAS as the definitive technology for the current economic climate, he acknowledged the need for adaptability. “Technology changes with time,” he noted. “When it changes and is no longer needed, we have the responsibility to change.”
To capture individuals and entities currently operating outside the tax net, the GRA is implementing a robust data-integration blueprint. By linking ITAS with key state databases, the authority aims to construct a 360-degree profile of economic citizens based on their consumption and asset acquisition.
This systemic integration is set to begin in July, with a target completion deadline of December for 15 designated institutions.
These include, Registrar of Companies: Automatic ITAS enrolment upon business registration, SSNIT: Cross-referencing pension contributions to verify income, National Identification Authority (NIA): Using the Ghana Card to map economic profiles, DVLA: Tracking luxury vehicle registrations (valued between $20,000 and GH₵300,000) to cross-check declared income and Passport Authority: Monitoring travel data to spot potential tax discrepancies.
“Our plans target those both inside and outside the net,” the Commissioner-General stated. “We are integrating with other government systems so that every citizen and business, as they operate within the economy, will be connected by ITAS the moment they surface.”
Mr. Sarpong illustrated the practical application of this tracking: “If you register a vehicle worth $20,000 or GH₵300,000, ITAS will ask, ‘Is this person paying tax?’ If not, we will approach you to facilitate payment.”
The GRA also addressed the challenge of the informal sector, which accounts for about 30% of GDP but contributes minimally to tax revenue.
The authority highlighted its Modified Taxation Scheme, originally launched in November 2025, which tackles the three main barriers to compliance: complex paperwork, distant tax offices, and rigid payment structures.
The scheme simplifies filing for small-scale operators such as artisans, barbers, and salon owners earning under GH₵500,000 annually.
“We found that if returns are complex, informal workers simply won’t file,” Sarpong observed. “We also realized they won’t leave their workplaces to visit tax offices. So, GRA must meet them at their point of work.”
Social commentator and public advocate Alistair Tyrell Nelson lauded the initiative, describing ITAS as a vital mechanism for single-point tax payments.
He urged the authority to prioritize voluntary compliance over heavy-handed enforcement.
“ITAS is a very good thing… a single-point payment that will encourage everybody to come,” Nelson said. “They want to make tax simple and friendly. They don’t want to use scarecrow mechanisms again.”
With current estimates suggesting nearly 80% of expected taxpayers are non-compliant or face shortfalls, Nelson stressed the importance of robust public education. “Compliance must reach maximum, so we collect more with the same tax rates,” he added.
However, Nelson advised the government to ensure fiscal accountability, noting that citizens must see tangible development returns to stay motivated. “In advanced countries, people rush to file because of the returns they get. We must use collected monies wisely and effectively for citizens to believe paying tax is a good thing.”
The GRA is currently calling on business association leaders to mobilize their members for upcoming ITAS training clinics, asserting that a collaborative approach is essential to growing local businesses and securing national self-sufficiency.