The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has honoured some staff and taxpayers of the revenue collection institution at its 2017 edition of the annual GRA Staff and Stakeholders Awards Ceremony in Accra.

The glamorous awards night, held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel on Friday February, 9, sort to reward loyal working staff who dedicated time and sacrificed their efforts to ensure the seamless running of the institution in the year 2017.

The GRA, through the award scheme, complimented taxpayers and business owners who fulfilled their tax obligation under the year in review.

Speaking at 2017 GRA Awards Night, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti urged staff to bring their collective strength to bear to the achievement of organizational targets.

“To our staff awardees, I wish to urge you to work harder than before,” he said.

“I believe honouring you our staff and our taxpayers would also serves as motivation to other employees to also strive harder than before and also be accorded the necessary recognition.”

Mr. Nti also appealed to taxpayers who are not registered with GRA to partner the institution to contribute to paying their taxes as the Authority strives to build an environment that is safe, fair and sustainable for businesses to thrive.

“I wish to reiterate that as tax administrators, we principally see voluntary taxpayers are our partners in national development. I am therefore calling on taxpayers to partner the GRA, so that together we can contribute to building this dear nation. Our doors are always open for your suggestions and contributions to enable us serve you better,” he expressed.

“I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to all taxpayers and income earners not yet in GRA books to register or re-register for purpose of paying their taxes to take advantage of the Tax Amnesty period by coming forward to regularize and straighten their tax records before it expires at the end of August, 2018.”

He however sounded a word of caution to tax evaders who flout the laws of the GRA to desist from such acts, lamenting that such composure will have negative reflections on the economy in the long run.

“We are counting on your support and plead with the few who try to avoid the payment of duty to put a stop to it as I harms the economy to a very large extent and that GRA is going to be hard at them. This notion of business as usual will no longer be tolerated.”

“We are ready to reward where necessary and at the same time impose sanctions on taxpayers who deliberately plot to understate or evade their obligations,” Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti added.

He further congratulated the management of the GRA for their leadership and support for all the plans that had been formulated and commended staff for their exceptional efforts at revenue mobilization and helping the organization to meet its target.



Highlights

Below is a full list of winners

Overall Best Staff 2017

Junior Appiah-Warden

Small Enterprise Taxpayer

Most improved Self-employed Taxpayer - Stephen Yeboah (Lucky Herbal Enterprise)

Second Best self-employed Taxpayer - Patrick Victor Enyan (Nhyrob Enterprise)

Overall Best Self-employed Taxpayer - Winifred K. Ekumah (Ekuus Trading Enterprise)

Medium Enterprise Taxpayer

Most Improved Taxpayer - Intermodal Shipping Agencies Limited

2nd Best corporate taxpayer - Harlequin International Ghana

Overall Best Taxpayer - Scanship Ghana Limited

Best Media House - Citi FM

Best Development Partner - GIZ/GFG

Commissioner-General's special award - Scancom Limited (MTN)

Most Improved Taxpayer (Customs Division) - Conserveria Distribution Ghana Limited

Best Oil Taxpayer (Customs Division)

3rd Best Taxpayer, Total Petrolium Ghana

2nd Best Taxpayer - Vivo Energy Ghana Ltd

Overall Best Taxpayer - Ghana Oil Limited (GOIL)

Large Office Taxpayer

Most improved Taxpayer - Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited

2nd Best Taxpayer - Standard Chartered Bank

Overall Best Taxpayer 2017 - Newmont Ghana Gold Limited

Best Junior Staff

Mr. Joshua Jude Owusu - Best Junior Staff

Alfred Kwesi Attah - Best Junior Staff, Customs Division

Dora Akolgmah Apambilla - Best Junior Staff, Domestic Tax Revenue Division

Abdul Jabaru Adam - Commissioner-General Secretariat

Theophilus Wilson - Special Award

Best Senior Staff

Samuel Tsadie Mensah - Best Senior Staff, Support Service Division

Eric Kweku Kemausour - Best Senior Staff, Customs Division

Adelaide Botchway - Best Senior Staff, Domestic Division

Richard Obeng-Tutu Koranteng - Best Senior Staff, Commissioner-General's Secretariat

Commissioner-General's Award

Emmanuel Spio-Abaidoo - Special award for exceptional performance

Best Manager

Junior Appiah Warden - Best Manager, Support Services Division

Stanley C. Essuman-Mensah - Best Manager, Customs Division