The National Identification Authority (NIA) has taken the drastic step of disconnecting the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from its Identity Verification Service (IVS) platform due to the GRA’s failure to settle a GH₵376 million debt.
The action has left many importers and exporters stranded as they are unable to clear goods at the country’s ports.
This move, which comes amid growing financial challenges for the NIA, is a major enforcement action against a state institution for non-payment of services.
The IVS platform is a critical digital infrastructure that enables public and private institutions to instantly verify the identity of individuals using the Ghana Card database.
This function is vital for a wide range of services, including revenue mobilisation, passport issuance, banking, and healthcare access.
The disconnection of the GRA means that the revenue collection agency can no longer use the platform to verify the identities of taxpayers and other individuals, potentially disrupting tax compliance efforts and other key operations.
Head of Corporate Affairs at the NIA, Williams Aumman Dallas, told JoyNews Editor Fred Smith in an interview on Tuesday, August 5, that “the verification platform needs to be maintained and we need money.
Credit: joyonline