Thursday, 03 July

GRA targets September 2025 to finalise VAT reforms ahead of 2026 budget

Business
Stakeholders at GRA's engagement in Accra

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that it is on course to complete work on the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) reforms by September 2025.

The reforms, which aim to address longstanding distortions in the VAT system, are expected to be incorporated into the government’s 2026 economic policy and national budget.

Speaking after a stakeholder engagement in Accra, Commissioner of Domestic Revenue at the GRA, Edward Apenteng Gyamera, revealed that the authority is currently undertaking a nationwide consultation process to solicit feedback from key players in the trade and business sectors.

“This is part of the process to get every stakeholder’s input on the upcoming VAT reform by the Ministry of Finance.

In all, we have four engagements in Accra and others in Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale before releasing the final draft in the next few weeks,” he explained.

“We should also bear in mind that these are just proposals and not final decisions.”

The VAT reform was initiated by the Ministry of Finance in response to concerns about inefficiencies and complications in the current payment system, which has been in place for over a decade.

Mr. Gyamera assured stakeholders that their contributions would be seriously considered and explained that, where specific proposals cannot be adopted, clear justifications will be provided.

The overarching goal of the reform is to broaden the tax base and boost VAT’s share of domestic revenue by over 20%, enhancing Ghana’s fiscal stability and economic resilience.

Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) provided technical assistance to the government and the Ministry of Finance to support the reform process.

According to the GRA, the IMF’s recommendations will be thoroughly reviewed before any final decisions are made.

 

 

Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah