The GRA Commissioner General was speaking Thursday before the joint session of the Public Accounts Committee and Public Enterprises Committee (PAC/PEC) of the National Assembly, during the debate on GRA activity report for 2013.
He noted that the increase in VAT receipts in 2013 helped in cushioning “the negative impact of the revenue heads.”
Similarly, he added, the year 2013 was marked by an unprecedented increase in the tax compliance rate, exceeding 96 per cent for the first time.
As a result of the achievement realized in improving the compliance of particularly large private businesses, the corporation tax exceeded its target by about 12 per cent, the GRA head said.
According to Mr Darboe, some of the DTD by revenue heads that performed exceptionally well in 2013 included company tax, domestic VAT, GSM and VSAT fees, rental income, capital gains tax, NETT levy, payroll and business registration fees, all of which have grown nominally compared to the 2012 actual collections.
The increase in company tax, domestic VAT, GSM and VSAT collection are linked to the improve tax compliance rate of companies, increased economic activities and the collection of tax arrears, he said.
Hon. Abdoulie Saine, member for Banjul Central, commended GRA for having a very good GPPA compliance, as well as for a “well documented report.”
Dilating on the VAT issue, the Banjul Central parliamentarian said the introducing of VAT seemed to have brought more problems, and it was better for GRA to go back to sales tax.
Nominated member Hon. Seedy Njie, and Hon. Ba Faye Saidykhan, member for Jarra West, Hon. Demba Sambou, member for Niani, all commended GRA, appealing to them to do more.
The report was finally adopted.
