The ranking of companies in terms of tax payment, he said, will greatly boost and strengthen tax payment system and encourage more and big companies to voluntarily come forward to settle their tax obligations on time.
He described this system as long overdue and transparent. He said this will help to know those companies that are tax compliant.
The GCCI president made this remark in an exclusive interview with The Point on Tuesday.
According to Mr. Jobe, who was speaking on behalf of Atlas Energy Company, the tax payment system in the form of ranking companies is a very good system that the public needs to be aware.
He also points out that ranking companies according to what they pay will surely encourage more companies to pay their tax obligation regularly and on time.
“We are proud that GRA decided to use this kind of system to rank companies according to their tax payment.”
He said exposing this to the media is a clear indication of transparency in the tax payment system.
The GCCI president said that GRA should have come up with this system earlier. He commended GRA for taking up this bold initiative to tell journalists who pay tax and who don’t.
Regarding Atlas Energy Group, which is ranked third in terms of highest tax payment in 2020, Mr. Jobe expressed total appreciation to the management of GRA for revealing some of the companies that had paid their taxes over the past year. He said this would help other companies who are reluctant to come and pay their tax obligation.
He confirmed that Atlas Energy Group has been among the 10 top taxpayers in this country for a long time and “we are proud of that. We think corporations are part of what they make for shareholders.”
Mr. Jobe further stressed that the most important thing that companies should do is to pay tax to contribute to the welfare of their communities and national development.
He stressed the importance of tax payment, saying it is used for building of hospitals, schools and construction of road.
He urged all and sundry to see payment of tax as a serious business. “I think the payment of tax and employment of people are the two important things that companies do for the states and community at large. We are very proud to be part of this top lists and I think payment of taxes and employment of people that government and community should use as criteria to judge corporation.”
“We very happy that this year the GRA decided to inform people like the media of who is paying tax because it helps to name and shame those businessmen who are not paying tax.
“Everybody is encouraged to pay tax, so this transparency that GRA started should continue. They should tell the public who is paying and not paying tax and Social Security should do the same thing by telling the people who are the companies complying in employing people but also in paying their social security mandate because pension poverty is one of the biggest problems in The Gambia, once people leave work their lifestyle changes.”
