Seedy M. B Kinteh, customs manager at Basse customs, has disclosed that his office have collected over twenty-seven-million-dalasi DM27, 000, 00, despite being tasked to collect from January to December 2023 a target sum of D28,415,280.41.
He made this disclosure to the 2023 team on tour form the Board of the Gambia Revenue Authority GRA, headed by the Board chair lady Madam Lucy Fye- Jagne that commenced a nationwide tour on 19 December 2023.
Mr. Kinteh made this assurance while delivering a statement at the recently held GRA Board and Senior Management tour to the Basse Customs offic, basse.
According to the Basse Customs Manager since the military take-over in Guinea Conakry, the military ruler has put an embargo on the exportation of all food stuff outside the country considering that Guinea “is our main source of revenue.”
But currently, he said the concentration is on Senegal, Sierra Leone, and partly on Nigeria.
Mr. Kinteh informed the GRA Board and top Management that since he took over as the Manager, there have been lots of significant changes that took place all geared towards boosting the country’s revenue collection.
He made a breakdown of the collections at the other stations of the Basse Customs outlet as follows – Sara Ngai, before the collection ranged from D6,000 to D13,000 but now the collection goes from D32,000 to D43,000.
In Nyamanarr before the collection ranged from D66,000 to D110,000 but now it ranges from 218,000 to D378,000., in Sabiwas between D87,000 to D163,000 and now from D238,000 to D525,000 while at Sara Bojo which is a sub-station only covering weekly lumos at Sara Bojo, Sare Mansally and Gambissara respectively before the collection stood at D18,000 to D23,000 but now it ranges from D76,000 to D108,000.
This is a newly created substation to serve as an exit substation between the Upper River Region and Central River Region.
Mr. Kinteh highlighted some of his office constraints and needs the GRA Board and Senior Management to consider including staff training, staff promotion, and Employment of volunteers.
He added that Sabi customs station deserves both a solar-powered system to generate electricity, maintenance of the office and staff quarters as well as a bore-hole for the staff, whilst SareNgai equally needs attention for the maintenance of the office and staff quarters and a solar-powered system.