Siphoning off tax revenue a human rights offence

Tax collectors at our market centres have been cautioned to ensure monies collected by them from market vendors are duly delivered to the municipal councils.

This is a serious concern raised by the Lands and Regional Government minister, while delivering a statement at the handing over of a multi-million dalasi extension project of the Brikama market by Gamworks to the Brikama Area Council.

It is, indeed, very true that monies collected from the vendors at the market must be delivered to the area councils, to realise the needed funds to undertake national development projects, such as market construction, expansion of market facilities and roads.

Good facilities must be provided to the vendors, and even the general public, to keep our nation on its cause of progress and development. It is, therefore, cardinal that income and revenues collected by tax collectors at the market centres are paid in to the area councils, to realise the necessary income for the construction of market facilities and their upkeep.

Siphoning off tax revenues by collectors is a serious setback to taxpayers, who toil under sun and rain to eke out a living, as well as to the nation that continues to struggle in providing optimal and standard public facilities for the use of the general public.

“I caution you all to be very careful. We are not going to spare anybody if you are found wanting,” the Lands and Regional Government Minister warned.

“We all know The Gambia, as a country, is a tax-based economy as at now, and our main sources of income as a government to be able to embark on infrastructural development is through the tax that is paid by the taxpayers.”

As the Regional Government minister said, such forms of fraud are bedevilling progress in society and making life hard for especially the average person.

The habit of collecting taxes and delivering not to the appropriate places is really a human rights offence, and a crime against humanity.

It must be stopped, so that funds generated from taxes are used for the development of the country and the progress of the nation.

  “Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.”

Author: Thomas Hobbes