The Ministry of Finance has organized a stakeholder engagement on the draft Strategic Framework and proposed Overarching Legislation for Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) Mobilization and Management as part of Government’s efforts to strengthen domestic resource mobilization and improve public financial management.
The engagement brought together representatives from selected Covered Entities and other relevant stakeholders to discuss proposed reforms aimed at improving the mobilization, management and accountability of Non-Tax Revenue in Ghana.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Director of the Revenue Policy Division at the Ministry, Mr. Edward Kweku Ofori Abrokwah, said the initiative forms part of broader efforts by Government to streamline domestic revenue mobilization through reforms in both tax and non-tax revenue systems.
According to him, Government is undertaking significant reforms in customs, excise and income tax administration to align revenue mobilization with changing domestic and global economic realities.
“We are trying to change the way we mobilize revenues in line with the changes that we are seeing both domestically and externally,” he stated.
Mr. Abrokwah noted that the increasing digitisation of economic activities, including online transactions and digital services, highlights the need for Ghana to modernise its revenue mobilization systems to reflect current realities.
He explained that “non-tax revenue has become an increasingly important source of government financing, playing a key role in supporting public service delivery, enhancing fiscal space and reducing over-reliance on traditional tax revenues.”
However, he observed that the existing framework governing NTR mobilization and management remains fragmented across institutions, resulting in varying practices in revenue administration, pricing mechanisms, reporting standards and accountability structures.
The proposed reforms, supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Domestic Resource Mobilization and Economic Management Project (SIC-DRM-EMP), with technical assistance from MGA Consulting Ghana Limited, aim to establish a coherent, transparent, and efficient framework for the administration of Non-Tax Revenue in Ghana.
The reforms are expected to strengthen transparency and accountability in NTR collection and management, improve coordination among public institutions, promote efficient costing and pricing of public services, and establish a harmonized legal and policy framework for NTR administration.
Mr. Abrokwah encouraged stakeholders to openly share their technical and operational perspectives to help refine the draft framework and proposed legislation, stressing that the effectiveness of the reforms would depend on how well they reflect institutional realities and breach implementation challenges.
He expressed appreciation to the African Development Bank, the project implementation team, consultants and participating institutions for their contributions towards the exercise.