The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has embarked on one of its most ambitious human capital investments in recent years, launching a nationwide competency development programme for 4,000 senior officers to sharpen leadership, strengthen integrity, and transform tax administration.
The week-long maiden session opened on September 15 at the GRA Training Academy in Kpetoe, Volta Region, under the theme: “Training and Development: Building Competencies for Improved Performance.”
It represents a cornerstone of GRA’s strategy to achieve professionalism and efficiency while aligning staff performance with its bold target of raising domestic revenue equivalent to 20 percent of GDP.
Dr. Alexander Adomako, Commissioner for the Support Services Division (SSD), underscored the transformational intent of the initiative.
“This training is not a routine exercise but a deliberate strategy to sharpen your leadership, deepen your knowledge, and improve service delivery at the Ghana Revenue Authority,” he told the participants.
He emphasized that senior officers, as leaders, wield influence that directly shapes public confidence in Ghana’s revenue system. Beyond technical skills, their conduct and decision-making must embody professionalism and accountability.
The programme will focus on eight core areas, equipping officers with a “total tax base” of knowledge that spans Customs, Domestic Tax, and Support Services.
“As senior officers, you must be able to respond confidently to enquiries beyond your immediate division. That is how we strengthen teamwork and efficiency,” Dr. Adomako said, urging participants to set a legacy as the pioneers of a new era of tax leadership.
Mr. Augustine Adjei-Sefah, Head of Training and Development, said the programme had been carefully designed to prepare officers for leadership roles while ensuring customer-focused and ethical service delivery.
Modules cover leadership, ethics, customer service, communication, values, GRA policies, and selected operational topics, ensuring that graduates are better equipped to guide teams and address taxpayer concerns seamlessly.
He explained that the investment in capacity-building is critical to Ghana’s fiscal stability, saying “If we are to reach our vision of mobilising revenue equivalent to 20 percent of GDP, we must first invest in the people driving that vision,” he stressed.
The programme is also expected to reinforce GRA’s ongoing transformation agenda, which seeks to modernise tax administration, plug leakages, improve compliance, and boost trust among taxpayers.
The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Commissioners, the Commandant of the Training Academy, training coordinators, facilitators, resource persons, participants, and representatives of traditional authorities in Kpetoe.
For the GRA, the competency development initiative is not just about training, it is about building a new generation of leaders who will anchor Ghana’s revenue future, deliver with integrity, and redefine tax administration as a service built on trust and efficiency.
