GRA Generates D10.4 Billion In Six Months

By Abdoulie Nyockeh

Gambia Revenue Authority’s Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe has disclosed that overall revenue generation from January to end June “stands at over D10.4 billion” within six months. He revealed this quantum leap in revenue generation in a recent interview with Peter Gomez’s Coffee Time program at West Coast Radio.

Asked by Peter the amounts GRA collected for the month of May and June, CG Darboe said that over D1.7 billion was generated in May and over D1.5 billion in June. He reiterated the annual revenue target of D19.2 billion in 2024 GRA has been tasked to generate by Government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. As at end June, which is halfway this year, GRA is left with D8.8 billion to be collected in order to achieve its annual revenue target of 2024, he said. Asked about the secret behind their resounding success, CG Darboe was quick to underscore the efficacy of the digitalization system GRA has introduced. The new digitalization system has contributed immensely to helping GRA leap and improve in revenue collection over recent years. The smart technology introduced had greatly eased and closed some of the major leakages hindering GRA’s revenue collection over the years, the provident Commissioner General confirmed. CG Darboe also recalled the challenges over having the new tech system in place before people or taxpayers in the country could cherish and appreciate some of the reforms GRA has introduced. “At the level of GRA, we are however used to certain emerging challenges from the public,” the astute GRA boss said. “But at the end of the day, people do appreciate more, and some would even say this new technology could have come earlier on.”

He cited the ASCUDA++ to the ASCUDA World, saying when this technology was introduced, there was a lot of hue and cry but at the end of the day people have come to appreciate the system. He further gave an apt reference, saying: “Also, when GRA introduced the digital tax stamp, there was a lot of noise. But today, visit supermarkets, manufacturing companies and factories; they are all using the digital tax stamp. This will help GRA to generate what is meant for Government in fair and transparent manner.”