This development came to light at press briefing on Friday. It’s the first time in history that GID has collected such a whopping amount in six months.
The GID is expected to surpass its annual revenue target of 150, 000, 000 dalasis.
However, despite the huge revenue performance in six months, GID officials say limited budgetary allocation, mobility, and office space remain a challenge.
Officials of the GID said the huge revenue collection was the result of the senior command’s zero tolerance to corruption and financial malpractices; implementing strategies that are in-line with international standards; ensuring that there is a rigorous auditing and also bringing their services to the people.
“The GID revenue performance in the first and second quarters demonstrates the department’s ability to generate substantial funds,” says Seedy Touray, the director general of GID. “While the first quarter showcased commendable revenue collection, the second quarter witnessed a significant increase, indicating growth and improved financial performance.”
Commenting on the factors leading to the increase in revenue collection in the second quarter, he said “travel activity, stricter immigration policies and the implementation of new strategies may have contributed to the observed differences.”
The GID, Touray added, within the period targeted to generate (D76, 000, 000) through its activities. “However, at the end of the first half of the year 2023, D133 Million was collected.
According to Touray, GID’s unprecedented revenue performance represents a positive variance of D57 million representing 75.65% increase above the projected revenue figure for the six months.”
“This is a remarkable achievement. This revenue is a reflection of the department’s efficiency in implementing immigration policies, ensuring compliance, and facilitating legal immigration policies. The collection of such a substantial amount of revenue highlights the department’s commitment to its mandate and its contribution to the country’s economic growth,” he posited.
For his part, Ebrima Mboob, the commissioner of Administration at the GID, said: “The GID makes this breakthrough due to the commitment of the high command and our officers throughout the country. Our objectives are also to complement government’s effort in revenue mobilisation in their quest to partake in national development.”
“Apart from our main responsibility which is ensuring that the country’s borders are safe and ensuring smooth movement of people in and out of the country, we are also collecting revenue for the government. We want to help the government to achieve the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP). Coming back to our responsibility, we are also working with our partners and other security services in achieving the Security Sector Reform (SSR) agenda of the President.”
Since the appointment of DG Touray to the helm of affairs of the immigration, he said, the GID had embarked on series of reform and bringing in policies and strategies that are in-line with best practises. “I can tell you that this outstanding performance is as a result of the dynamic leadership we have, teamwork at the office, and also building the capacity of staff in ensuring that they deliver to their best.”
“Currently, we have 10 goals that we are working toward achieving; and key among them is to continue building the capacity of our staff especially in the area of ICT among others,” he said. “We want to digitalise our payment system now. In fact, currently about 30 of our officers are undergoing training on ICT among others.”
On limited budgetary allocation and infrastructure, Commissioner Mboob said, remain challenging for the department.
Chief Supt. Karalang Jarju, the officer commanding statistics at the GID, said: “Sensitising people to regularise their status also pays dividends in the huge revenue performance.”
“We also ensure that we make follow-up in all our stations across the country in ensuring that the payments that are collected are paid to our accounts immediately after collection. The GID also opens a new border post at Tabanding in CRR south which are all geared toward ensuring that our borders are secured and revenues are collected.”
He said that despite the escalating taxes among others, they were optimistic that the department will collect the remaining D17 million of the D150 million yearly target for the government. “We also ensure that we create new issuance centres, increase our sensitisation and move some of the centres in the headquarters to the doorsteps of Gambians. Be assured that we are on the right track and we will surely reach the government’s revenue target.”
