22 March, 2024
The GRA Board and Management conclude tour of stations
The Board of Directors of the Gambia Revenue Authority recently concluded their annual tour to GRA Offices within the West Coast and the Greater Banjul Areas (Seaport, Kanifing Tax Office, Serekunda and Tallinding Tax Office, Giboro Customs, Tanji Customs post, Brusubi Tax Office, Airport, Mandinari Customs and Wellingara Tax Office).
The objective of the tour is meant for them to have first-hand information regarding staff working and living conditions and also to thank them for the wonderful work they are doing. The delegation included the Board Chairperson, Madam Lucy Fye Jagne and her Vice Mr Omar Ceesay and other board members, Commissioner General Mr Yankuba Darboe and other Senior Officials from the GRA.
Speaking to the staff, the Board Chairperson encouraged staff to maintain the good image of the Authority and at the same time continue to their handwork. The Commissioner General also expressed similar sentiments and further tasked the staff to maintain a high level of professionalism when dealing with taxpayers and also to be regular and punctual. He reminded them this target is set at 19.2 billion which requires all hands on deck in order to meet this huge target. The Deputy Commissioner General Mr Essa Jallow and Alhaji K. Mbye, Commissioner of Customs both expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the work the staff have be doing and also urged them to maintain the integrity of the Authority. The Board and Management promised to address the most important staff challenges such as vehicles and furniture which has a direct bearing on performance.
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.