The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has intensified its tax compliance and enforcement operations across the country in response to what it describes as growing levels of taxpayer non-compliance.

Assistant Commissioner in Charge of Accra Area Enforcement, Joseph Annan Adjeikwei, told journalists in Accra that the Authority has detected a worrying trend in which many taxpayers file returns merely to avoid penalties but fail to pay the taxes due. Others, he said, have stopped filing altogether despite remaining operational, while some continue to under-declare their liabilities.

“For some time, we relaxed our enforcement mandate to encourage voluntary compliance through education. But we realised many taxpayers are taking advantage of the system. They file but do not pay, they under-declare, or they stop filing altogether,” he said.

Mr Annan noted that a field assessment conducted in early 2024 uncovered widespread infractions, prompting the GRA to deploy additional enforcement officers from November to strengthen checks and ensure strict adherence to tax laws.

The intensified operation includes arrests and prosecutions where necessary, depending on the severity of the offence. It runs day and night throughout the week and covers all major tax categories—Personal Income Tax (PIT), Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duties and the Communications Service Tax (CST).

Mr Annan emphasised that the GRA will not hesitate to apply sanctions.

“If one person violates the law and walks free, others will follow. Our message is simple: we are out there, and taxpayers must do the right thing,” he said.

He appealed to the media to support ongoing public education efforts, stressing that the enforcement programme is now a permanent component of the Authority’s nationwide operations.

“You never know when we will visit your business, and this programme is not ending anytime soon,” he added.

Addressing last year's enforcement actions involving non-compliant foreign businesses, the Assistant Commissioner explained that the GRA did not pursue prosecutions because it was the Authority’s first major operation. Management granted amnesty at the time but required all outstanding taxes to be settled.

He cautioned that this year’s exercise will be far stricter following extensive sensitisation. Taxpayers who continue to breach tax laws, he warned, will be deemed delinquent and “the law will descend heavily on them.”

Responding to questions on revenue losses, Mr Annan said the extent of non-compliance makes it difficult to determine exact figures but stressed that the losses are significant, with some taxpayers owing millions of cedis based on their own filings.

He revealed that the GRA is targeting more than GH¢30 billion in revenue this month to help make up for earlier shortfalls.

Mr Annan underscored that enforcement will remain a core pillar of the GRA’s nationwide operations as the Authority strengthens efforts to boost revenue mobilisation and enhance compliance.