The
Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has been commended over the ‘‘effectiveness of
its operational and tax collection system’’ as well as the ‘‘unambiguousness
and transparency’’ for everyday national and international business dealings
thus encouraging assurance and confidence.
A
statement on performance for developing countries seen by The Point revealed
that GRA’s ‘‘department units, branches and other locations…with officials
contacts noticeable and visible’’ should be emulated.
Recently,
major international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) and the United Nations (UN) formally called for proficiency.
Consequently,
they demanded an ‘‘effective system to unlock much needed domestic resources to
achieve Sustainable Development Goals” (SDG), hence the importance of such
performance from countries across the globe.
It
also revealed that training conducted by the GRA and support from the UN
agencies is vital in the achievement of results ‘‘despite the fact that the
country is small and with limited resources…an estimated land area of 11,200km2…one
of the tiniest countries in Africa’’.
The
achievement, it stated is also vital taking into consideration the expected
imminent expansion and other projects needed for future development.
Consequently,
it was revealed that the expansion of The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA)
responsible for ‘‘operation, administration and other duties including the
process of port infrastructure has stimulated the easy navigation and route of
vessels in and out of the country’’.
Thus
such procedure may also increase revenue for both incoming and outgoing goods
and other products.
The
encouragement of states especially those in the developing countries to perform
more efficiently was spearheaded when the IMF announced amongst others that
‘‘…countries themselves need to raise more revenue in an equitable way…and the
entire international community needs to eradicate tax evasion and tax
avoidance.’’
