GRA set to implement full cashless drive from July 1
The Ghana Revenue Authority’s cashless drive, which will see GRA turning away any cash payments at any of its offices, will be fully enforced come Thursday 1st July 2021.
The Authority has been working towards a full end to end digital tax process where taxpayers can file and pay their taxes from any part of the world at any time.
As part of the GRA’s digitalization drive, domestic taxpayers were expected to from 1st May 2021 pay their taxes using the Ghana.gov platform and at any of the Twenty- Two designated banks by the authority.
A month later, that is from 1st June 2021, all cheques to the GRA were to be paid at the banks.
From Thursday 1st July 2021 however, the cashless drive of the GRA will be fully enforced, with the Authority not receiving cash at its offices.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday 29th June 2021, the Principal Revenue Officer at the GRA, Lawrence Hotsonyame explained that the digitalization drive is geared towards improving the ease of doing business between the GRA and its customers as well as improving voluntary compliance.
“From 1st July 2021, GRA will not be accepting cash payments in our offices, and we are equally not accepting cheque payments in our offices. We are expecting that all our taxpayers will file their returns online and pay their taxes online. You would have to have either your TIN or Ghana Card PIN. So once you have a TIN or Ghana Card PIN you can conveniently do transactions on Ghana.gov. You necessarily need that information to do transactions on Ghana.gov.”
Florence Asante is the Assistant Commissioner, Communication and Public Affairs of the GRA, and she sheds more light on the payment options available from July 1, 2021.
“We are looking at a lot of payment options that are available. For instance, if you have a debit or credit card you can use it to pay. We can use the QR Code to pay. You can use mobile money to pay. And then you can also use *222#, as part of what we call the mobile money version. You will get your invoice number and then use it to pay. You can also pay at the bank with your invoice number when you walk into any of the 22 designated banks you can pay your taxes at.”
GUTA welcomes GRA’s decision to collect taxes digitally
A little over a week since the Ghana Revenue Authority decided not to accept personal and corporate cheques for the payment of taxes and levies in any of its offices, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Dr. Joseph Obeng says businesses are hopeful the move will help government achieve its revenue targets.
He also hopes the initiative will lead to a reduction in the tax burden on businesses.
The GRA from June 1st 2021, stopped accepting cheques for the payment of taxes and levies in any of its Domestic Tax Revenue Division or Customs Division offices, as part of efforts aimed at making the GRA more digital.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the impact on businesses, Dr. Obeng said digitalization of tax collection is the way to go.
“This the new norm when it comes to payment for individuals and businesses. I believe that we have to accept it and take advantage of it, especially if it will also help government enhance its revenue mobilization efforts.”
“At the end of the day, if they are able to achieve their targets we can also be spared of the high rate of taxes that we pay,” he added.
Source: Ghana Business
