The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched a phased rollout of its Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), a flagship digital platform aimed at transforming domestic tax operations, improving compliance, and enhancing taxpayer experience.
The initiative, first conceived in 2021, marks a significant step in the Authority’s digital transformation agenda, with officials projecting full nationwide implementation by August 2026.
At a media engagement in Accra, the Commissioner-General of GRA, Anthony Sarpong, underscored the critical role of journalists in driving public understanding and acceptance of the new system.
He described the media as the “fourth estate,” likening its function to a lamp that illuminates government activities and ensures transparency.
“Without the media, the work we do will remain hidden. You are the platform that projects, educates and ensures accountability,” he said.
He urged media practitioners to support the GRA by educating taxpayers, participating in stakeholder engagements, and providing feedback to improve service delivery.
The ITAS system officially went live on April 1, 2026, with Phase 1 focusing on core functions, including taxpayer registration, return filing and payment processing.
More than 400 taxpayers in the Accra West Area Office — stretching from Kaneshie to Kasoa — have already been onboarded.
The next stage will cover large taxpayers, estimated between 600 and 1,000 entities, followed by a full rollout across Accra and the rest of the country.
According to the GRA, ITAS is designed to address long-standing inefficiencies caused by fragmented legacy systems operating in silos.
The new platform will unify these systems, enabling a 360-degree view of taxpayers while simplifying processes for individuals and businesses.
Future phases will deepen integration across agencies, including the Registrar of Companies, SSNIT, National Identification Authority (NIA), DVLA, Lands Commission, and the Passport Office.
These linkages are expected to improve data quality, expand the tax net, and support more effective compliance monitoring.
The Commissioner-General called on businesses and individuals to embrace the system, noting that voluntary compliance remains key.
“When you support GRA, you are supporting the development of this country. This is a shared national responsibility,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, Paul Kwakyi, a member of the ITAS Project Team, provided further technical details on the system’s architecture and capabilities.
He explained that ITAS is built around multiple digital platforms designed to serve both taxpayers and GRA officials.
“ITAS is part of the Authority’s continuous effort to digital transformation in line with international standards. We want to get to the point where everything we do is on a digital platform,” he said.
According to Mr Kwakyi, the system includes:
- An e-services portal for taxpayers and tax consultants
- A modernised information services portal (GRA website)
- A tax officer portal for internal operations
- An analytics portal to support decision-making
These are supported by a Unified Tax Management System covering the Domestic Tax Revenue Division.
Mr Kwakyi highlighted that ITAS also introduced an e-invoicing system, which will integrate with businesses’ enterprise resource planning (ERP), point-of-sale (POS), and fiscal devices to improve VAT administration.
The platform includes:
- Mobile applications for taxpayers and officers
- A customer relationship management (CRM) system
- A learning management system for training and education
“Taxpayers will be able to initiate requests, track them and receive decisions through an automated workflow system. Each transaction will have an acknowledgement number for monitoring progress,” he explained.
The system is expected to significantly reduce compliance costs by limiting the need for in-person visits to GRA offices and enabling digital submission of documents.
Built-in validation tools will help taxpayers identify errors before filing, while a sequential filing feature ensures outstanding returns are cleared before new submissions are made.
Mr Kwakyi also noted that ITAS will enable:
- Risk-based audit selection
- Improved taxpayer profiling
- Enhanced data analytics for decision-making
“The end goal is to become a data-driven tax administration recognised for fairness, integrity and responsiveness,” he said.
Through integration with institutions such as SSNIT, Registrar of Companies, and customs systems, ITAS will allow the GRA to better identify taxable entities and ensure compliance across sectors.
The Authority is also leveraging existing integrations, including payment platforms, to allow taxpayers to file and pay taxes simultaneously.
Officials stressed that improved tax administration is essential to Ghana’s development agenda, as government programmes are largely funded through taxation.
The Integrated Tax Administration System is a comprehensive digital platform covering all tax types administered by the GRA, including income tax, VAT, excise duties, communication service tax, and sector-specific levies. It is expected to position the Authority as a modern, efficient and data-driven institution.
By: Christian Akorlie / businesspostonline
