The role of marketing and PR in tax administration, the dilemma in Ghana’s public sector

Sometime past, tax managers were just implementers of the tax laws without direct communication with the taxpayers. Sanctioning was the missile used to prevent tax evaders.
At that time, the concept of marketing in public sector administration was nonexistent, and seen as a set of gimmicks solely reserved to Private establishments.
Indeed, tax agencies have nothing to sell.
However, in today’s competitive world, the most successful and efficient tax administrations are those with a market-oriented approach with regard to their management.
These market-driven tax administrations usually come with a clear vision and the steps to help achieve them.
Indeed, this mindset is marketing, and to communicate these mindsets is PR.
Marketing and PR in the public sector has a crucial role to play in building trust, enabling efficient communication between the public and the governing body and enhancing socio-economic progress.
In today’s fast-paced media landscape, are tax administrations truly maximizing the importance of Marketing and PR?
Are they tapping into the power of these two giants to attract new brands advocates (taxpayers).
Or their communication efforts are stuck in silos, missing out on impactful opportunities.
And most importantly, are tax administrations leveraging on Marketing and PR to their full potential?
The importance of Integrated Marketing Communications in tax administration is undeniable.
Yet, as the media environment becomes more fragmented, reaching your target audience grows increasingly challenging.
The rise of niche subcultures, the constant thread of cancel culture, and the ever-evolving digital landscape put the reputation of tax administrations at risk like never before.
But for most tax administrations, like in the case of Ghana, the trajectory towards a marketing-oriented processes is novel and mainly driven by a recognition that the people whom they serve are “customers”, who now expect good and efficient customer service delivery.
Marketing and PR skill is needed more than ever to manage the myriads of reputational issues that emerges frequently.
With the emergence of new technologies, especially the internet, and a change of the Ghanaian mindset, and couple with a growing insight into tax matters in Ghana as a result of the growing tax education by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), make the call for Marketing and PR in Ghana’s tax administration more urgent.
Consequently, the incorporation of marketing principles in tax administration should be seen as a means of improving the reputation of public institutions and strengthening their capacity to be able to provide public good.
The concept of marketing in the context of public administration focuses on identifying and satisfying the needs and desires of citizens, where public institutions must operate with transparency, adaptability and efficiency to effectively address the changing demands of society.
To this end, tax administrations and government must operate with transparency, adaptability and efficiency in order to foster voluntary compliance so as to raise necessary revenue for national development.
In essence, the application of marketing in tax administration involves a dynamic effort that requires continuous adjustments and improvements.
This can be achieved through the use of techniques that enable public administrators to advocate policies that are in line with their objectives and shape public opinion.
Governments, on the other hand must endeavor to judiciously administer tax revenue in a fair and transparent manner which will ginger the desire of taxpayers to be compliant.
By Christopher K. Beyereh, a Chartered Marketer, MBA, PostDip, MCIMG, ACIM.
cbeyereh@gmail.com, 0205366152