The newly appointed Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Joe Ghartey, has pledged to diligently work towards bolstering the government’s revenue target while maintaining the Authority’s business-friendly approach.

President Nana Akufo-Addo appointed Joe Ghartey as the new Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Wednesday, May 22.

Addressing a brief inaugural ceremony led by the Finance Minister, Mr. Ghartey, who also serves as the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, emphasized the critical need to meet GRA’s targets promptly.

“The GRA is very crucial in the life of our nation, especially at this time and it is to say the level of revenue we collect in this country in percentage wise needs much to be desired is a gross understatement,” he said.

“Joe Ghartey added: “The Minister in his speech has clearly given us his thinking about where we should be going. The balance is to increase the revenue and at the same time to be business friendly to try to keep up with the target”.

Ghartey succeeds Dr. Oteng-Gyasi, who resigned on March 26, 2024, necessitating the dissolution of the GRA Board.

This restructuring extends to the leadership level, with the removal of Rev. Dr. Amishaddai Owusu-Amoah (62), the Commissioner General, who served as a board member. His position is now assumed by Miss Julie Essiam.

Embracing this change, Ghartey emphasized the need for agility and innovation in navigating the evolving landscape of taxation.

By prioritizing digital solutions, the GRA aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and taxpayer experience, fostering a more dynamic and responsive revenue ecosystem.

Other members of the board are the former Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr Alex Ampaabeng, Commissioner-General for GRA, Ms Julie Essiam, a Deputy Minister for Trade, Hon. Micheal Okyere Baafi, and 2nd Deputy Governor for the Bank of Ghana, Mrs Elsie Addo Awadzi.

The rest are Madam Susan Akomea, Immediate Past Municipal Chief Executive of Asante Akyim Central and a Co-founding member of CENAB UK, Mrs Araba Bosomtwe, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) holder with international experience in handling high-level administrative duties and Mr Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, a fellow of the Ghana College of Pharmacists and also a board member of the ADB bank.