The Regional Governor for the Central River
Region has challenged local authorities in his region, particularly the
Janjangbureh Area Council and the Kuntuar Area Council in CRR South and North
respectively, to pay their taxes to GRA and on time, with a view to enabling
them embark on socio-economic development for the country.
Alhaji Omar Khan made this remark on
Thursday in Janjangbureh at its regional education conference hall, as part of
a daylong tax seminar with businessmen across the 11 districts of CRR.
The forum, according to GRA officials, is
meant among things to strengthen the cordial working relationship between GRA
officials and the businessmen, and also to sensitise them on the importance of
payment of tax.
The forum being the first of its kind
organised by the Gambia Revenue Authority, was a welcomed development for
businessmen in CRR as it has paved the way for them to strengthen their ties,
and also avail them the opportunities to table some of the constraints and
challenges they are encountering with a view to coming out with tangible
solutions.
Governor Khan spoke at length on the
significance of the forum, adding that its importance could not be
overemphasised as far as national development is concerned.
He said the business communities are the
most important ones as far as revenue and tax collection is concerned, saying
that the government and GRA depend on the business sector through their payment
of taxes.
Governor Khan urged the business community
in his region to ensure that they pay their taxes properly and on time.
“I am made to understand that during the
last tax award ceremony organised by GRA, CRR was able to win an award which is
of paramount importance. Thus I will continue to engage the business
communities and the local authorities in the region for them to pay their
taxes.”
Governor Khan added that he had not
received any complaint from GRA officers with regard to the business
communities not paying their taxes regularly. Thus he implored on them to
continue the good work, and pay their taxes on time.
He said the only defaulters in the region
are the local authorities, “unfortunately the area councils”, noting that if
they did not pay their taxes on time “they could be charged for economic
crime”.
“Because you cannot collect money for
government and spend it without government approval,” he said.
He, therefore, warned the area councils in
his region to ensure that whenever they collect taxes from employees it should
be paid directly to the revenue office of GRA in Brikamaba.
Ousman Bah, Head of Cooperation and Public
Affairs for the Gambia Revenue Authority, dwelled on the significance of the
forum.
He said payment of taxes is crucial and
important in the sense that most of the development programmes and projects
undertaken by government are from tax revenue, which is ploughed back to the
community in the form of development projects.
He said they are aware that the Gambia
Revenue Authority is one of the most important national institutions, in the
crusade to generate resources for development services in the country.
The GRA had been collecting revenue in the
country, which is given to the government for them to provide development
services for the country in the areas of roads infrastructure, schools and
hospitals construction, among others.
Mr Bah added that the forum would go a long
way in providing linkage with the participants, while he challenged the participants
to make best use of the forum, as well as to disseminate the information on the
need to pay tax regularly to the general public.
He noted that the development of the
country is their responsibility; thus they should not only rely on Europe to
build the country.
Ebrima Njie, a businessman from
Janjangbureh and various speakers, commended GRA for organising such an
important forum as it would go a long way in enhancing their understanding on
tax issues.
He appealed to the GRA to help them and
reduce taxes as they can be “exorbitant” sometimes.