The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is expected to save GH¢4 million in annual rent if its new head office project is completed.
The project, which was estimated to cost GH¢491 millionis to be completed within two years.
When completed, the new GRA head office complex would boast of a seven-storey twin tower with a total office area of 13,725 square metres.
The building would host staff of GRA headquarters, who were currently housed in the existing head office at the Ministries and six other rented buildings in Accra.
Touring the project site in Accra,last Friday, Head of Communications and Public Affairs at GRA, Assistant Commissioner Florence Asante, said the project was long overdue, given the immense benefits to the authority and the country as a whole.
She said the construction of a single office for all GRA staff was a necessity and economical.
Ms Asante said: “It is expensive to run the rented offices. It cost the authority more than GH¢4 million every year to rent the six separate buildings for staff”.
She said the project would help to address the office accommodation and parking space constraints facing the authority.
Currently, Ms Asante noted that staff of the Head Office was operating from the Osu Revenue Towers, the Customs Head Office, and other facilities in Accra.
She explained that the new head office building would have enough office spaces and adjoining infrastructure for all of GRA’s head office staff.
Ms Asante said it would also provide enough parking lots for staff and visitors.
The Project Manager, Sidney Quaye, said work was progressing smoothly and the two-year timeline would be met.
He also gave the assurance that the work was being done on schedule.
The GRA head office project was scheduled to commence in 2016, but was delayed due to government’s decision to host key agencies of the Ministry of Finance in one location to be referred to as the national financial enclave.
The current site at Kanda was found to be appropriate for the government’s agenda and it had since been allocated to GRA, the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), among other agencies to start the construction of their head offices.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
