The
Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) Wednesday organised a two-day sensitisation
forum for stakeholders in the Lower River Region on Income and Value Added Tax
(VAT), as well as on Rental and Capital Gains Tax.
The
forum was held at the Region Four Educational Directorate in Mansakonko, Jarra
West District.
In
his keynote address, Sulayman Barry, Deputy Director of Compliance Taxpayers
Education and Training at GRA, said the two-day sensitisation forum organised
by the authority targeted stakeholders in the LRR.
The
event in Mansakonko was part of similar engagements embarked upon by them with
the objective of deepening understanding geared towards improving tax
compliance, he said.
“The
legal and finance management reforms recently undertaken by government are
aimed at promoting micro-economic stability, improving revenue mobilization, as
well as promoting efficiency in resource allocation, among others.”
It was their hope, he added, that they would
continue to support the implementation of the Government’s tax reforms for
national development.
Salifu
Puye, Governor of the Lower River Region, in his opening remarks on the
occasion, commended GRA for the step taken to go down to their level and help
to educate them on VAT.
He
noted that the event was important and timely, hence the need for such
activities to be replicated at district level for the benefit of all.
“No
Government or a country can survive without tax, hence the need for us all to
have that understanding and come forward, especially taxpayers, to settle their
tax to ensure continued development in the country.”
Governor
Puye encouraged the participants to take the event seriously to enable them
have a better understanding of the topics for discussion.
He
also urged them to share the information gained from the workshop with the
wider community, in the interest of nation-building.
The
chief of Jarra West, Yaya Jarjusey, and Alhaji Demba Sanyang of Kiang Central,
both expressed similar sentiments and urged GRA to chip in with logistics so as
to enable them organise similar activities at the district level.
