However due to commitment and dedication to duty by his staff, they were able to hit or collect a total revenue of over twenty-seven million dalasis (D27,000,000).
Mr Kinteh assured the Board of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) that by end December Basse customs post will meet their target.
Mr Kinteh made this assurance while delivering a statement during the recent GRA Board and senior Management tour meeting held at the Basse Customs office.
According to Mr Kinteh, since the military takeover in Guinea Conakry, the military leader has put an embargo on the exportation of all foodstuffs outside the country considering that “Guinea is our main source of revenue”.
He cited that currently concentration is on Senegal, Sierra Leone and partly Nigeria.
He also informed the GRA Board and top management that since he took over as the Manager, a lot of significant changes have taken place at the post all geared towards boosting national revenue collection.
He further briefed the delegation about collections at the other stations of their outlets, such as Sara Ngai, where revenue collection used to range from D6,000 to D13,000.“But now collection level goes from D32,000 to D43,000,” he said.
In Nyamanarr, he said, collection ranged from D66,000 to D110,000 but now “it ranges from D218,000 to D378,000”.
In Sabi, collection used to range from D87,000 to D163,000 but would now collect between D238,000 and D525,000; whilst Sara Bojo, which is a sub-station covering weekly lumos in Bojo, Sare Mansally and Gambissara, was collecting between D18,000 and D23,000 but now collects between D76,000 and D108,000.
“This is a newly created substation to serve as an exit sub-station between Upper River Region and Central River Region,” he said
Mr Kinteh further highlighted some of his office constraints and would want the GRA Board and senior management to consider includingmore staff training, staff promotion, and employment of volunteers.
He emphasises that staff training is very necessary to better serve their purpose meaningfully, adding that staff promotion is central to giving a better output. “It is important to note that there are staff that are serving on the same position /rank for many years without being promoted,” he pointed out.
Kinteh appeals to the commissioner general to review and consider promoting hard-working staff of that post, saying promotion in any work is essential and serves as a source of motivation.
Talking about employment of volunteers, Kinteh informed the GRA board: “Volunteers due to their hardwork, dedication and commitment have continued to facilitate our work easily on daily basis and there is need to consider them,” he said.
He also informed the GRA board that Sabi customs station deserves a solar-powered system to generate electricity, maintenance of the office and staff quarters as well as a borehole for the staff, whilst “Sare Ngai equally needs attention” such as office maintenance, staff quarters and a solar-powered system.
