Former Finance Minister and Presidential Advisor on the Economy, Seth Terkper, is urging the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to fully implement a Tax Practitioner Scheme that would both strengthen tax compliance and open new job opportunities for young graduates.
Seth Terkper believes that the initiative could transform the tax system by involving trained private practitioners to complement the work of GRA officials.
Speaking at the launch of the Sustained Tax Education and Modified Taxation Scheme, the tax expert likened the idea to the successful model used in the United States, where taxpayers often rely on licensed practitioners to handle their filings.
He partly attributed the success of the US tax system to the existence of tax practitioners who handle taxes for businesses and individuals at a fee.
The former finance minister explains that the system allows a business or an individual to go to a tax practitioner who keeps their records, calculates their returns, and files for them at a small fee.
Such a system, he adds, simplifies tax compliance and ensures accuracy while easing the burden on both taxpayers and the Authority.
“I would also appeal to GRA to implement the practitioner scheme everywhere. The reason the US filing system is very popular is that you can go to a tax practitioner who complements the work of the tax officials, and they can keep the records for you. At the end of the day, you pick your invoices, and the rest, you give them, you pay them a little fee, they calculate and file your returns,” he noted.
Beyond improving efficiency, Seth Terkper believes the scheme could be a powerful employment avenue for Ghana’s many business and accounting graduates.
He proposed that graduates with backgrounds in commerce, business administration, and related fields could register as certified practitioners to assist individuals and small enterprises with tax preparation.
“We can also bring in the practitioner scheme so that it’s a source of employment for our graduates, especially those who do Bachelor of Commerce, who do BSc administration, any form of Master’s in administration,” he emphasized.
He added, “They can come together and complement the implementation of the tax. It facilitates compliance.”
The former finance minister’s call for a tax practitioner scheme fits within Ghana’s ongoing tax modernization agenda.
The scheme promises to build a fair, efficient, and inclusive system, and by empowering private professionals to work alongside the GRA, the presidential advisor envisions a future where compliance becomes easier, jobs are created, and tax administration works seamlessly for everyone.
