- Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia suggested that the Ghana Revenue Authority should set highly ambitious goals for itself.
- His remarks drew criticism from the GRA Workers Union, which clarified that the Ministry of Finance sets annual targets.
- The union warned that such comments could demoralize staff and urged government intervention.
- They emphasized the need for a supportive environment to maintain effective tax revenue collection.
- Bawumia was recently chosen as the NPP’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, winning 61.4% of the votes.
- He is expected to compete against former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who heads Ghana’s Economic Management Team, has faced criticism over his remarks on the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) target-setting procedures. He suggested that the tax authority should set ambitious, even unattainable, goals for itself, prompting concern among government officials and the public.
The Ghana Revenue Authority Workers Union expressed shock at Bawumia’s comments, stressing that annual targets are set by the Ministry of Finance, not the Authority itself. The union warned that such statements could demoralize hardworking staff and urged the government, civil society groups, the GRA Board, and President Nana Akufo-Addo to intervene. They highlighted the importance of maintaining a supportive environment for the Authority to ensure continued effective tax revenue mobilization.
Separately, Bawumia was recently confirmed as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, receiving 61.4 percent of votes in the party primaries. He is set to face former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress in the upcoming polls.
