04 November, 2025
GRA Represents The Gambia at Key Regional Customs Intelligence Meeting in Bamako
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) is proudly represented by Customs Manager Ansumana B. Bojang at the 16th Annual Joint Meeting of National Correspondents of the WCO Liaison Offices Responsible for Intelligence – West and Central Africa, currently taking place in Bamako, Mali.
Held under the theme “Fragile Borders and Customs Revenue Optimization in the WCO-WCA Region: Challenges and Prospects,” the meeting brings together customs intelligence experts from across the region to deliberate on strategies to strengthen border management and enhance revenue mobilization.
Mr. Bojang delivered a compelling presentation on the Regional Activity Report, highlighting key Customs-led operations, including Operation ALAMBA and SAMA 2, which demonstrate the growing cooperation and intelligence-sharing among member states.
The session was officially opened by the Director General of Malian Customs, representing the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO).
GRA continues to play an active role in advancing regional collaboration and promoting effective customs intelligence and enforcement in West and Central Africa.
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) is pleased to announce the attendance of its top officials at the second International Monetary Fund (IMF) - AFRITAC WEST 2 Regional Leadership Forum, which convened leaders from Anglophone West Africa and Cape Verde.
Notably, the delegation included Commissioner General Mr. Yankuba Darboe, Deputy Commissioner General and Head of Domestic Taxes Mr. Essa Jallow, and Director of Technical Services Mr. Yahya Manneh.
The workshop was officially inaugurated by the Honorable Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura. The event also saw participation from the AFRITAC West 2 Center Director, as well as IMF and EU Resident Representatives in Sierra Leone.
The forum focused on critical themes essential for strengthening tax administration and leadership, including:
- Effective decision making in tax administration
- Ethical leadership in tax administration
- Managing political interference in tax administration
- Turning vision into impact through adaptive leadership for tax transformation
- Delivering successful reforms
- Managing a portfolio of reforms
- Handling difficult stakeholders
- Leading for results through performance management
- Personal and professional development
The forum provided a vital platform for Commissioners and management teams to engage on pressing issues concerning revenue administration and reform implementation in the region.
During the event, the GRA had the opportunity to present on the theme "Navigating Political Challenges in Reform Implementation and Revenue Administration."
The presentation highlighted GRA’s practical experiences with key initiatives such as the implementation of ASYCUDA World, the introduction of Digital Tax Stamps on excisable goods, the Revenue Assurance System for Mobile Network Operators, and the Rental Tax Compliance System.
These examples illustrated the Authority’s proactive approach to overcoming challenges related to political interference while driving effective reform and modernization of revenue administration.
The event also provided the GRA’s Senior Management Team the opportunity to learn from the experiences of the other AFRITAC West 2 member administrations on their reforms implementation.