GRA to deploy physical monitoring devices at retail outlets
Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong announced the plan at the close of a three-day management retreat of the GRA’s Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) in Sunyani.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it will begin enforcing the Physical and Electronic Devices Act this year, a move expected to deepen VAT compliance and improve revenue collection.
Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong announced the plan at the close of a three-day management retreat of the GRA’s Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) in Sunyani. The retreat focused on boosting VAT performance and compliance under the theme, “Transforming for impact and growth: Focusing on VAT performance and compliance.”
Mr Sarpong explained that the Act will enable the Authority to deploy physical monitoring devices at retail outlets nationwide. This, he said, forms part of a broader strategy to automate the VAT system, a process that began in 2025 with the passage of a new VAT law.
He said the legal reforms are designed to support automated VAT collection, strengthen oversight of transactions, and drive higher compliance across the market.
According to him, VAT performance is currently around 40 per cent, leaving a shortfall of about 60 per cent. In practical terms, he noted, only 40 out of every 100 potential VAT transactions are being captured, a situation he described as unacceptable.
Mr Sarpong appealed to taxpayers to cooperate with the GRA and meet their VAT obligations to help generate the revenue needed for sustainable national development. He also encouraged staff of the Authority to stay focused, motivated and committed to meeting the GRA’s targets, noting that the state had provided the tools and opportunity for improved performance.
