Julie Essiam, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has officially stepped down from her position, submitting her resignation letter to the Office of the President through Finance Minister-Designate, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Essiam’s resignation comes after a five-and-a-half-year tenure at the GRA, where she was appointed by former President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 24, 2024. Prior to her appointment, she headed the GRA’s Support Services Division.
In her resignation letter, dated January 20, 2025, Essiam expressed gratitude for her time at the GRA, describing her experience as “incredible”. She praised the dedication of GRA employees, acknowledging their collective efforts in achieving historic revenue milestones.
Under Essiam’s leadership, the GRA recorded a revenue performance of GH¢152.977 billion, surpassing the 2024 target by GH¢6.978 billion—a 4.8% increase. This achievement boosted Ghana’s tax-to-GDP ratio to 17.0%, exceeding the 16.1% target.
Despite these accomplishments, Essiam emphasized the need for further reforms to optimize revenue mobilization. She recommended implementing IMF Structural Benchmarks, including the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) and the sustainability of the Taxpayer Data Cleansing initiative.
Essiam expressed appreciation to former President Akufo-Addo, former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam for their support and trust in her leadership.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
