The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched a non-resident E-commerce and Digital Service Registration Portal to rake in about GH¢1.7 billion from online businesses like Netflix, Jumia, Alibaba, Amazon etc.

According to the GRA, the operation of the portal is expected to commence from 1st April 2022.

The portal forms part of the government’s efforts to increase its revenue mobilization.

Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, speaking at the launch of the new portal in Accra stated that the development will help the GRA meet its revenue target of GH¢80.3billion.

“Taxpayers and their software developers will be engaged and also be provided with the application programming interface (API) between now and the end of the month to ensure they are able to link their system with ours. Effective 1st April 2022, we will ensure that the portal is launched and we should be able to start applying the VAT from 1st April 2022. And this will cover all institutions no matter where they are based, and is expected to generate online revenue for Ghana.”

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta had revealed that out of Ghana’s 30.8 million population, less than 10percent, translating to about just 2.4 million people, pay direct taxes.

He lamented the situation as a poor reflection of the country’s tax system.

Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah added that the portal will allow for cross-border businesses to register, file, and pay the applicable taxes just like resident businesses.

“In our system, we have built a compliance tool that will ensure that whether it is Google, Amazon, or Netflix, you would have to comply. Otherwise, your monies will not move from Ghana to your base. To realize the full potential, especially from the non-residential to the digital economy, the portal has been developed to ensure that the non-resident persons engaged in cross-border business will be able to register, file, and pay the applicable taxes just like their local counterparts,” he added.

source: Ghana Web