The event, graced by the Seedy Keita, Minister of Finance and top brass of GRA and board members, was held at Senegambia Beach Hotel.
The two-day event convened by GRA in collaboration with the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, and the West African Tax Administration forum (WATAF), seeks to boost the knowledge of the lawmakers on revenue mobilisation.
Welcoming the gathering, Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General GRA, acknowledged the critical role of lawmakers in the actualisation of government fiscal policies.
“The Gambia Revenue Authority as an institution was itself a creation of the National Assembly. It was created by act No. 13 of 2004 following a policy decision to merge the Excise, making the Gambia Revenue Authority the principal revenue collector for government.”
Commissioner General Darboe reminded that as a statutory institution, the Authority is required by law to submit its accounts and activity report to the National Assembly on an annual basis for scrutiny.
The relationship between GRA and the National Assembly, he added, is therefore one established by law.
“I wish to announce that WATAF and the UNDESA have also agreed to provide training for our staff on transfer pricing in our bid to fight tax evasion, treaty shopping and the illicit financial flow from the continent” The objective of this roundtable is to highlight the role of National Assembly members in our domestic revenue mobilisation drive. As international revenue receipts continue to dwindle in the face of external factors, such as the growing number of regional and international free trade agreements, the coronavirus pandemic, the international supply chain crisis, the increase in freight charges and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, the focus has now shifted to domestic revenue mobilisation.”
GRA boss indicated this as part of their aspirations to expand the tax-base and increase domestic revenue, but this cannot be achieved without engaging critical stakeholders.
“The National Assembly is a critical stakeholder in this regard. As taxation is governed by law and as the principle goes, no taxation without representation, the National Assembly has to enact the necessary revenue laws, effect amendments to the ones already in effect, and repeal those deemed obsolete.”
He observed that the National Assembly is therefore central in their domestic revenue mobilisation drive.
“As tax administrators, we cannot levy tax or duty without the enabling legislation. Our mandate to collect any revenue and enforce any revenue law must be sanctioned by laws enacted by the National Assembly.”
Senegal Reduces Prices of Basic Commodities, Rent
The Senegalese government has taken a bold step of reducing the prices of some basic essential commodities including foodstuffs, as well as property rental in the country.
On Saturday, President Macky Sall sanctioned the Special Consumer Council to reduce the prices of at least eleven basic essential commodities by Monday 7 November 2022.
According to the president,a kilo for the 100% Indian broken rice should now be sold at 325CFA francs from 350 CFA francs it used to be. “That is a reduction of 25 CFA francs, (not taking into account the 25 CFA francs which has already been taken into account. In reality it is a reduction of 50 CFA francs.),” the President announced.
The price of a liter of palm oil has been reduced from 1200 CFA francs to 1100 CFA francs, and the price of a kilo of sugar has been dropped from 600 CFA francs to 575 CFA francs.
Price for a kilo of local onion has gone from 500 CFA francs to 400 CFA francs, and for imported onions, the price per kilo has been reduced from 700 CFA francs to 500 francs.
For local potato, the price per kilo has been reduced from 600 CFA francs to 400 CFA francs.
For livestock feed, the 50-kilogram bag has gone from 20,000 to 18,000 CFA francs, and a kilo of beef has gone from 400 CFA francs to 3600 CFA francs. A kilo of mutton has got its price reduced from 4500 CFA francs to 4300 CFA francs.
A ton of local or imported iron has also been reduced, on a range between 50,000 and 120,000 CFA francs depending on the diameter.
Furthermore, property rental has also been substantially reduced.For rents, the following reductions have been made: 20% on rent less than or equal to 300,000 CFA francs; 10% on rents between 300,000 CFA francs and 500,000 CFA francs, and a reduction of 5% on rents above 500,000 CFA francs.
The President indicated that “rents have risen more than 200% since the last cut attempt while construction costs have increased only by 45%”.
At the same time, he said, commission paid to agencies “will be reduced to an amount equal to half a month's rent, the payment of the deposit will be spread over the year at the rate of one-twelfth of the amount and the cancellation of the rent in advance. Payment will be made at the end of the month”.
Regarding school and university fees, the president said that free charge is introduced for elementary and preschool in the public schools, and for registration fees in secondary education, the fees are now set at 3000 CFA francs with a maximum ceiling of 5000 CFA francs which must only be authorised by the management board of the establishment.
For private education, a 10% reduction is made on registration fees from preschool to secondary school, with a ban on grouping payments at the start of the year.
For higher education, a reduction ranging from 5 to 10% has been made on tuition fees for private higher education.
Reduction has also been applied to the ton of local or imported iron, on a range between 50,000 and 120,000 CFA francs depending on the diameter.
Meanwhile, gunshots were heard on Saturday around the private residence of President Macky Sall, according to Mermoze, saying that some suspects had been arrested.
Source: Mermoz
