Annual tax filing to go digital as GRA introduces iTaPS

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is considering introducing Integrated Tax Application and Preparation system (iTaPS) to enhance individual annual tax filing.

iTaPS, christened ‘Tax made digital’ and expected to be officially launched by Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia next week, is to aid in the electronic filing of Annual Tax Returns (ATR) by taxpayers.

It is also targetted at improving the ease of doing business, which will better position the country in the global business arena as it will significantly reduce cost and time required by taxpayers.

Commissioner-General of GRA, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, speaking at media engagement on 2019 Tax & Good Governance Week and Launch of iTaPS in Accra said: “GRA is committed to making the completion of tax returns and assessment by taxpayers in Ghana an easy and straightforward activity”.

He explained that iTaPS is an electronic (e-service) platform that allows individuals to prepare, apply for and receive GRA services.

The software, he said, seeks to assist taxpayers in keeping the records required to fulfil their tax obligations, improve Tax Administrative Diagnostic Tools (TADAT) ranking under voluntary compliance, improve the quality of tax returns submitted by taxpayers, and revenue assurance.

“iTaPS will improve on tax compliance by taxpayers and support numerous improvements on the way GRA now handles tax management and provides support to the current tax legislation it is mandated to administer.

“GRA is going High-tech, and we require the nation to comply with and support us because this will reduce cost of operations for GRA such as printing Manuel materials or documents, and bring improvement in processes and procedures,” he said.

The phase-one of iTaPS is designed purposely for filing Personal Income Tax (PIT), irrespective of the source of income – be it employment, investment or business.

The platform is accessible to all individual taxpayers, both formal and informal sector workers.

Patrick Frimpong-Danso-Office of Commissioner, Domestic Tax, in a presentation stated that to ensure electronic registration onto the software, a Tax Identification Number (TIN) and any recognised Identification Card (ID) are the basic requirements for registration.

Mr. Nti indicated that GRA has set aside a week in April (5-12th) as its Tax and Good Governance Week, with the aim of increasing awareness among organisations and individuals on the importance of filing annual returns and the payment of taxes.

“The GRA in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance will hold the 2019 Tax and Good Governance Week celebrations from 5th to 12th April 2019, on the theme ‘File your Returns; Pay your Taxes, Move Ghana Beyond Aid’.

Dr. Bawumia is expected to officially launch the Week’s Celebrations on Friday, April 5, 2019, he stated.