WHO honours CG Darboe

The Award is in recognition of the vital role GRA plays in promoting public health through stringent tobacco control policies and enforcement, according to a dispatch from the GRA which reads below.

“The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) proudly announces that Commissioner General Mr. Yankuba Darboe has been honored with the prestigious World No Tobacco Day Award by the World Health Organization (WHO). His recognition underscores the vital role GRA plays in promoting public health through stringent tobacco control policies and enforcement.

Selected among notable global recipients, Mr. Darboe's strategic leadership and innovative approaches have significantly reduced tobacco consumption and fostered a healthier environment.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Darboe for this remarkable achievement and proud moment for the GRA team. This award reinforces our dedication to a tobacco-free society and achieving greater public health milestones, ensuring a healthier future for all Gambians.”

Reacting to this award, Mr Darbo stated: “I am equally happy to receive this award from WHO.” 

 “It is all the reflection of the good work we are doing for the country. People have realised it and awarding us for a job well done.” 

“The work we are doing is a team work, I therefore dedicate these awards to my hard working and professional staff of GRA.”

“We will keep the momentum at work so that we achieve more results for our digitalization and efficiency in our work.”

The recipients of the 2024 World No Tobacco Day awards, by WHO region, are as follows:

African Region

Mr Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General, Gambia Revenue Authority, Republic of the Gambia

Ms Gormwa Gotus, Kaduna State Educator, Tobacco Abstinence Club, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Tobacco Abstinence Club, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Region of the Americas

Dr Vera da Costa e Silva, Head of the National Commission for the Implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Federative Republic of Brazil

Dr Alberto José de Araújo (in memoriam), Federative Republic of Brazil

Dr Antônio Pedro Mirra (in memoriam), Federative Republic of Brazil

Gustavo Sóñora, Regional Director of Tobacco Control, Latin America, Vital Strategies, Eastern Republic of Uruguay

Ms Carolina Giraldo Botero, Congresswoman, Republic of Colombia

Corporación Colombiana de Padres y Madres - Red PaPaz, Republic of Colombia

Ms Gianella Severini, Senior Legal Coordinator, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Argentine Republic

Eastern Mediterranean Region

Mr Husain Ali Alrayes, Health Inspection Supervisor, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain

Dr Wagdy Amin, National Tobacco Control Observatory, Arab Republic of Egypt

Directorate General of Standards and Metrology, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment, Sultanate of Oman

Madinah Health Cluster, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Mr Moncef Boukthir, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Tunisia

European Region

Professor Charlotta Pisinger, University of Southern Denmark, Kingdom of Denmark

Ms Mervi Hara, Executive Director, ASH Finland, Republic of Finland

Dr Francisco Rodríguez Lozano, Chair of the Board, Cancer Patients Europe Association, Kingdom of Spain

Ms Helen Stjerna, Secretary General, A Non Smoking Generation (NGO), Kingdom of Sweden

NGO A Non Smoking Generation, Kingdom of Sweden

Ministry of Health, Ukraine

Lviv Oblast Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health, Ukraine

Dr Raouf Alebshehy, Tobacco Control Research Group, University of Bath, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

South-East Asia Region

Ministry of Railways, People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Odisha State Tobacco Control Cell, Republic of India

Dr Widyastuti Soerojo, Health Policy Forum, Republic of Indonesia

Thailand Youth Institute, Kingdom of Thailand

Alcohol and Drug Information Centre, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Western Pacific Region

Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government, People’s Republic of China

Mr Jose Enrique S. Garcia III, Provincial Governor of Bataan, Republic of the Philippines

HealthBridge Foundation of Canada, HealthBridge Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam