The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has responded to reports by the National Identification Authority (NIA) claiming that the tax agency has been disconnected from the Identity Verification Platform (IVS) due to unpaid fees.

In a statement issued by its Communication and Public Affairs Department, the GRA expressed surprise over the claims and sought to clarify its position, stressing that no formal service agreement exists between the two agencies to justify the said debt.

According to the GRA, the purported indebtedness stems from what it describes as a "legacy debt" associated with services allegedly rendered by the NIA prior to 2025.

However, GRA indicated that its internal assessment could not confirm any regulatory or governance approvals that sanctioned the transactions in question.

“The GRA’s principles of transparency, compliance, and governance protocols do not permit enforcement of transactions that do not meet regulatory requirements, particularly as demanded by the reset vision of the President and the Government,” the Authority emphasised.

Further deepening the dispute, the GRA revealed that the NIA has operated desk offices at GRA premises across the country for years without paying rent or contributing to utility costs — a gesture made in the spirit of inter-agency cooperation.

Despite the disconnection and public exchanges, GRA says high-level talks are ongoing to resolve the matter.

The Authority maintains that procedural irregularities and the lack of a formal agreement are at the heart of the issue.

While rejecting the premise of the debt, the GRA acknowledged the critical role of inter-agency collaboration, particularly in integrating the Ghana Card into the country’s tax system — a cornerstone of the government's digital transformation agenda.

The Authority called for improved relations with the NIA and expressed hope that the matter would be resolved amicably in the interest of national development.

“GRA uses this opportunity to reassure taxpayers and the general public of its commitment and adherence to its values of fairness, integrity, responsiveness, service, and teamwork,” the statement concluded.