GH¢376M NIA Debt Invalid Without Regulatory Approval - GRA

Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has strongly refuted claims by the National Identification Authority (NIA) that it owes over GH¢376 million in arrears, an allegation the NIA says led to the disconnection of GRA from its Identity Verification Service (IVS) platform. In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 5, the GRA expressed “great surprise” at the NIA’s assertions and insisted that the purported debt lacks the necessary regulatory and governance backing to be considered legitimate.

According to the Authority, its internal assessments revealed that the alleged debt is a legacy liability stemming from transactions carried out before 2025. However, GRA maintains that those engagements did not receive the required formal approvals. GRA’s principles of transparency, compliance, and governance protocols do not permit enforcement of transactions that do not meet regulatory requirements, the statement read. The Authority also highlighted its long-standing support for the NIA, stating that the Identification Authority has, for years, operated desks at GRA offices nationwide to register individuals and issue Ghana Cards without making any payments for rent or utilities.

The Authority further explained that high-level discussions are currently underway to resolve the matter, especially since it has uncovered procedural breaches and cannot verify the existence of a formal service agreement between the two parties. Despite the disagreement, GRA reaffirmed its commitment to inter-agency cooperation. We recognise the importance of collaboration in advancing national development goals, including integrating the Ghana Card into the tax system, the statement noted.