A number of concerned youth groups affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Tamale have expressed their disapproval of the appointment of Anthony Sarpong as the Acting Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), deeming it unsuitable.
Anthony Sarpong was appointed to this position by President John Dramani Mahama. Prior to this role, he held the position of Senior Partner at the auditing firm KPMG.
The group has raised concerns regarding Mr. Sarpong’s ability to effectively lead the nation’s revenue mobilization efforts, citing his association with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Consequently, they are urging the president to rescind his appointment and to consider a more qualified candidate for the role. This sentiment was articulated during a press conference in Tamale, where Abu Jamal, the coordinator of the Concerned Youth of NDC, delivered the statement.
“We oppose this appointment as we do not believe he possesses the capability to spearhead a revenue generation initiative, given his ties to the NPP. Mr. Sarpong was appointed by former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) in September 2020.
“He collaborated with other NPP affiliates and the former head of EOCO. Our financial stability in Ghana is at risk with Mr. Sarpong in this position. We wish to inform President Mahama that the NDC comprises competent individuals who can manage various sectors more effectively. Therefore, we insist that Mr. Sarpong’s appointment be revoked,” he asserted.
The group has pledged to initiate a protest if the president does not respond favorably to their request for a reconsideration of the GRA appointment.
There are individuals with greater expertise who may be suitable candidates to succeed Anthony Sarpong as the Acting Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“We are providing the president with a period of five working days to rescind Mr. Sarpong’s appointment. Should this situation continue, we will have no choice but to take to the streets,” he stated.