By Sheriff Hydara Jr.
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) under the leadership of Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe has finally collected over D12.7Billion exceeded its annual revenue Target for 2022.
This was revealed to the Media by GRA boss Yankuba Darboe last Friday at his office in Banjul.
According to Mr. Darboe, 2022, was a very difficult and challenging year coupled with the covid-19, and Ukraine –Russia war, but GRA achieved its annual revenue target of (D12.7Bilion) for 2022.
He disclosed that the GRA was able to achieve this due to teamwork, commitment, dedication, and cooperation from the taxpayers, GRA staff, and of course the media who played a pivotal role in creating public awareness about the importance of Government collecting revenue for National development.
He was quick to add that in 2023, the Government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MOFEA) tasked (GRA) to collect (D15.2 Billion) as an annual revenue target for 2023.
According to GRA Boss Government of the Gambia spend over D1.6 Billion on subsidy and also loose (D2 Billion) on Duty waivers which GRA could have collected directly as revenue but were not allowed to collect revenue from those development projects coming into the Gambia.
Mr. Darboe, however, outlined some of the international challenges faced by GRA in 2022, including increased cost of living, increased cost insurance fringe charges, increased containers, and a host of other goods coming to the Gambia coupled with Covid-19, and Ukraine-Russia War that harms the revenue mobilization.
Going forward Mr. Darboe said with team spirit, hard work, and commitment from the GRA board, management staff, and taxpayers as well as the media who were at the forefront of creating public awareness on the importance of tax compliance GRA performed relatively well in exceeding its annual revenue target of (D12.7Billion) for 2022.