Our target of GH¢80.1 billion in revenue will be achieved - Deputy Finance Minister

The Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon Abena Osei-Asare, has reiterated that the government through the support of the Ghana Revenue Authority has targeted to raise 80.1billion cedis through revenue mobilization this year.

As part of measures to increase revenue mobilisation, she said the government passed the Electronic Transaction levy (E-levy) and the VAT Flat rate scheme for businesses operating with a minimum threshold of GH¢500,000, among other policies.

The Deputy Minister said there had been several misconceptions about the E-Levy, but gradually, Ghanaians have understood the policy, she added.

Hon Abena Osei Asare was speaking to newsmen during a sensitization program organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority to educate staff of the information service department from various MMDAS across the country on the new introduction of electronic transaction Levy (E-levy) held in Kumasi.

She said the exercise would help them understand the policy so that they can also sensitize others on the need to pay taxes to support government activities in the areas of education infrastructure, health, and roads.

On the issue of accountability, the deputy minister assured that the Bill presented to the parliament before the passage of the E-levy Bill gives a mandate to the Ministry of Finance to account to Ghanaians.

Abena Osei-Asare stated that the new measures would improve efficiency and block loopholes in the revenue collection system.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister has noted that the government will spend GHC10 billion to implement the YouStart project, which seeks to tackle unemployment and restore the economy.