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Information available to the Daily Democrat indicates that workers of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) are angry about the high cost of projects and items supplied to the institution, calling for stringent measures to protect the public purse and the tax payer’s money from going waste.

According to the source, they are shocked about the cost of the construction of the Entrance and exit Gates at the head office estimated at three billion old Ghana cedis (3 billion cedis) by an institution tasked to collect revenue for national development.

The source also revealed that two fountains at the Head office cost over one billion old Ghana cedis (1.03 billion) and are also outrageous and annoyed a supposed garden management at the headquarters cost one billion, five hundred million old Ghana cedis (1.5 billion cedis).

They alleged that instead of the Support Services Division (SSD) working to achieve competitive prices for contracts, the opposite id the case where some items like table top fridges, air conditioners, tables and chairs are quoted outrageous prices while contracts for renovations, bore hole, fence walls, landscape and other are also scary.

For example, boreholes at two locations are going for between GH¢85,000-GH¢90,000, Table Top Fridges for GH¢1,200, construction of fountain at GH¢70,000 and garden at Headquarters for GH¢149,000.

They are therefore calling for forensic audit into the operations of the SSD commissioner, Fred Charles Anson to protect the tax payer’s money from going waste.

What is the use of the SSD in the value for money fight when such fundamentals are not being adhered to?

They complain of cronyism, favoritism, arrogance, intimidation, corruption and one man show at the Support Services Division (SSD) as if it is a sole proprietor business.

“Where are our values of integrity and fairness in our service delivery? The teamwork, innovation and professionalism that must guide us in our mission to mobilize revenue for national development in a transparent, fair, effective and efficient manner towards our vision to be world class revenue administration recognized for professionalism, integrity and excellence.”

“To be world class revenue administration recognized for professionalism, integrity and excellence.”

The workers made a passionate appeal to the Board of Directors to institute a probe into the operations of the Fred Charles Anson-led SSD concerning the awarding of contracts, the processes, pricing and also carry out a management audit to understand and define roles and responsibilities to avoid abuse and putting round pegs in square holes to improve productivity and ensure value for money and protect the public purse.

GRA has three main divisions namely: Customs Division, the Domestic Tax Revenue Division and Support Services Division.

The three-winged structure designed to ensure maximum efficiency in the Authority’s core business of revenue mobilization merges the management support services of finance, administration, human resource and research of the erstwhile agencies under one Support Services Division, leaving the Customs Division and the Domestic Tax Revenue Division unencumbered by peripheral functions to focus entirely on revenue collection with Support Service Division supporting them with the required management services.

Stay tuned