By: Binta Jaiteh
The Gambia Revenue Authority Wednesday submitted its annual and financial report 2018 to the National Assembly select committee on Public Finance Account Committee (FPAC).
Speaking before the FPAC members at the National Assembly, Lucy Faye Jagne Board of director GRA told the committee that they are there to render account of sanction subverted by government to enable the institution to discharge its statutory obligation in the interest of the Gambian people.
She added that “in accordance to the law, the government allocates certain amount of money to GRA which is meant to facilitate the discharge mandated to collect revenue in most efficient manner.”
She explained that 2018 and 2019 reports should be read according to the core mandates of GRA.
“GRA has been operating since 2007 and the authority continue to account for revenue more than 70% of Government recurrent annual budget bases and stand at 13%, and most of the infrastructure project has been funded through the budget like the Hakalang Road in Nuimi,” she said.
Meanwhile, GRA’s Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe said the financial statement is based on the subvention on the affairs of the board not from Government.
He noted that the revenue authority is a semi-autonomous body mandated to administer the revenue laws of the Gambia citing that attesting, collecting for all revenue according to government in a fair and transparent manner.
According to CG Darboe, the establishment of the authority brought together the former department of central revenue, domestic taxes and customs in order to enhance efficiency in administration and reduce compliance burden on taxpayers.
“The over sight responsibility in managing the affairs of GRA is repost on board of directors to ensure that it provides clear and consistent direction to the authority,” he said.
