The Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has migrated 67 tax offices across the country onto the Total Revenue Integrated Processing Systems (tripsTM) for revenue collection.
This is with support from its technical partner, the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet).
tripsTM is software for tax administration designed and deployed by GCNet as a business automation process system that seeks to streamline and bring transparency in the business operations of the GRA DTRD.
Completion of the nation-wide roll-out of tax offices shall ensure that the whole country is covered to broaden the tax base and also facilitate the Tax Identification Number (TIN) registration.
Forty-one (41) offices were migrated onto tripsTM in 2017, resulting in increased revenue mobilisation by the GRA from GHS 12bn collected in 2016 to GHS 15.7 bn collected in 2017 through the system.
Communications Manager of GCNet, Mrs. Aba Lokko, announced this when GCNet presented various logistical items to 15 tax offices for the continued and improved use of tripsTM.
She commended the offices for their commitment and enthusiasm in the use of the system in their day to day operations.
She noted that GCNet was committed to partnering the GRA DTRD to realise the full benefits of the deployment of tripsTM to make it easier for the taxpayer to transact business with GRA DTRD by leveraging on the latest technology and innovation.
Mrs. Lokko explained that with the automation of tax administration offices all over the country, a taxpayer can sit in the comfort of their homes or offices to transact business with the GRA DTRD through the online services associated with tripsTM while taxpayers (clients) have the opportunity to view all transactions on their accounts at any given time.
She noted that the tripsTM was developed for the DTRD to aid in tax administration and stressed that the automation of processes and accessibility of management reports leads to increased efficiency and effectiveness in revenue mobilisation.
She urged officers to use the tripsTM fully to enhance their work.
The items presented were prizes of an internal campaign, ‘tripsTM Challenge’, by GRA and its Partner GCNet, launched in November 2016 as a quarterly awards scheme to promote the use of tripsTM and the swift migration of taxpayers onto tripsTM in all tax offices across the nation to guarantee speedy processing of tax returns and enhance revenue administration.
It is also intended to motivate staff to use tripsTM for TIN Registration, Tax Type Registration, Return Processing, Lodgement and Filing and the other modules.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) at GRA DTRD in charge of Medium Tax Offices (MTO), Mr. Alex Asamoah- Bonti and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in charge of the Small Tax Offices (STO), Mrs. Vivien Adusei also congratulated all winning offices and urged them to consistently use the system.
The Senior Tax Officers advised staff of tax offices to ensure that credible data was inputted into the system as the efficiency and accuracy of the system depended on the information captured given the huge investment made in procuring the software to streamline business processes.
Mr. Asamoah Bonti noted that it was expected that through the competition, Tax Offices would be motivated to register and migrate all their taxpayers’ and process returns through the system to improve customer service and revenue administration.
The offices that received items as logistic support include the Agbogbloshie small tax office (STO), Kasoa STO, Sunyani Medium Tax Office (MTO), Spintex MTO and Asokwa MTO.
Others are Adabraka MTO, Agbogbloshie MTO, Kaneshie STO, Mataheko STO and Ho STO.
tripsTM integrates seamlessly with a number of other Government systems including: the National Identification Authority and Driver Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA).
