Revenue collected by the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for just the first half of 2017 has increased by 17% compared to the same period in 2016.

The amount raised for the first half of 2017 is almost GH?8 billion.

This has been attributed to the further deployment of the Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (tripsTM).

In 2016, more than GH?11 billion was also mobilised through tripsTM compared to the almost GH?9 billion and GH?3 billion mobilised in 2015 and 2014.

Data shows that more than 154,000 tax returns were processed through tripsTM between January and July in 2017, representing a 43% increase on the same period in 2016.

From January to July 2017, over 151,000 new Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) have been issued, bringing the total since the launch of TRIPS to 890,000.

The Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TripsTM) is e-tax solution software for tax administration under the e-Government project by the Ministry of Communication.

TripsTM, the first in West Africa, was designed and deployed in 2011 as a business automation process system that seeks to streamline and bring transparency in the business operations of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

The e-tax solution package was developed and deployed for the Ghana Revenue Authority by the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet) with a self-service portal that provides online services to taxpayers.

The system supports a full range of tax administration functions, including Registration, Returns Processing, Automated Compliance, Collections, Taxpayer Accounting, Revenue Accounting, Refunds, Risk Management, Case Management, Audit, Objections and Appeals.

GeGov Project Manager at GCNet, Chris Holden noted the system exchanges real-time data with a number of other government systems, including the National Identification Authority, Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) for the online validation of individual’s identity documents; Registrar-General’s Department for the automated creation and sharing of Tax Identification Numbers; Customs for the identification of Importers and Exports; and also share data with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

He was confident that with the expanded roll out of tripsTM across all offices of the Domestic Tax Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority nationwide, more individuals and entities will be roped into the tax net to enhance revenue mobilisation efforts to meet national development needs.

Currently, 38 offices of the Domestic Tax Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) nationwide have been migrated onto the use of tripsTM, with an additional 21 offices to be on-boarded.

The Total Revenue Integrated Processing system is a software which processes the business functions of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the Ghana

Revenue Authority

It forms a component of the eGovernment Project which seeks to promote transparency and accountability in various government agencies.

As a business process automation system, TRIPS is designed to integrate various tax modules, as well as interface with third-party systems.

The outcome of this makes is easier for taxpayers to transact business with GRA, thus enhancing compliance and consequently increasing revenue mobilisation in the course of the next 6 weeks.

This is expected to expand coverage and access to the citizen and corporate Ghana as part of the moves to improve revenue mobilisation. Training workshops are also ongoing nationwide to sharpen the skills of tax officials who register and migrate taxpayers and process returns through the system to improve customer service and revenue administration.

Promoting the use of trips

In order to promote the use of tripsTM, the Ghana Revenue Authority and their private partner, GCNet, in November 2016 initiated an internal campaign in the form of a competition and awards scheme to motivate staff to use tripsTM for TIN Registration, Tax types Registration, Return Processing and the other modules.

Five tax offices (Large Tax Office, Spintex Medium Tax Office, Teshie Nungua Small Tax Office, Madina Small Tax Office and Adenta Small Tax Office) were recognised as joint winners in the first quarter competition for their continued use of the Total Revenue Integrated Processing Systems (tripsTM) in revenue collection efforts of the authority.

For the second quarter, another five tax offices (Kasoa Small Tax Office, Spintex Medium Tax Office, Agbogbloshie Small Tax Office, Asokwa Medium Tax Office and Sunyani Tax Office) were recognised as joint winners in the competition.