Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched the electronic tax clearance certificate platform, which enables users to generate their tax clearance certificates online, file tax returns and also check tax compliance status.

At the app launch on Friday, the country’s vice-president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, said the introduction of the digital platform by the GRA signifies government's commitment to its digitalisation agenda.

Bawumia, leads the government's digitisation drive and the transformation of delivery of services through technology.

He said: "Let me use this platform to urge all Ghanaians, and, indeed, all who earn incomes in Ghana, to faithfully submit their tax returns and to declare any taxes due.

"Taxes are the lifeblood of any country and are used to build nations. When we faithfully declare and pay our taxes we will be in a position to hold government accountable to what our tax money is being used for. Let us really join hands to develop the country."

Bawumia expressed delight at ‘digital remedies’, which he said, have been introduced by the government, ‘to revolutionise the manual ways of providing services in the public service’.

Some of these initiatives, he noted, are the introduction of the Ghana Card as a unique identifier of individuals in Ghana.

"Apart from helping build on our national identification system by leveraging on technology, the Ghana Card helps to identify individuals for tax purposes.

"Your Ghana Card is also your taxpayer identification number. In effect, your Ghana Card is your reference for registration, filing of returns, making payments of tax due and accessing other services provided by GRA.

"Other areas of digitalisation that have transformed lives and businesses are the Digital Addressing System, which helps to identify and locate places; the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform, which enables you to order lifesaving drugs; Mobile Money Interoperability, which lets you have a bank account in your pocket; and, medical drones which are helping to deliver medical supplies to inaccessible areas faster, thereby saving lives."