Gambia
Revenue Authority (GRA) last Friday held its 9th Staff Award Night at a hotel
in Kololi where 10 staffs were awarded with certificates and cash prices for
their hard work, commitment, dedication and sacrifices to their work.
The
cash prizes range from D5,000 to D20,000.
GRA
Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe said the year 2016 also marked the 10th
anniversary of GRA under its present structure as revenue authority.
“Therefore,
it is gratifying to note that within a decade of operation as a unified revenue
administration body, the Authority is able to substantially grow its revenues
from D3.324 billion in 2007 to D7.895 billion in 2016, which translates to 138
per cent nominal growth over the period and 13.8 per cent average annual revenue
growth,” he said.
“The
Authority achieved the revenue targets set by the government in four of the
last five years from 2012 to 2016 despite the challenging economic environment
in the country.”
“Last
year, 2016, the Authority achieved 94 per cent of its revenue target despite so
many daunting challenges which included uncollected public enterprise tax debts
included in the target, and the negative impacts of the government
interferences which resulted into low fuel receipts, border impasse and high
business closures.”
Mr
Darboe said besides revenue performance, the GRA has registered a lot of
achievements in other fronts during the year.
“These
achievements included the reconstitution of GRA governance structures and
committees, modernisation of human resource tools, development of GRA
operational plan, review and approval of staff service rule, development of GRA
loan policy and procedures, and review and validation of departmental
mandates,” he said.
The
achievements also included the review of the domestic tax revenue laws,
development of training policy and strategy and engagement of more commercial
banks for tax payments as well as rollout of GAMTAXNET to more tax offices.
“These
accomplishments could not have been realised without the hard work, dedication
and team work of every staff of the Authority and the GRA board,” GRA
Commissioner General said.
