By: Nyima Sillah
More than 100,000 ECOWAS ID cards were issued by the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) in 2023.
The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Finance at the GID, Karanlang Jarju, revealed in a press briefing last week that the ECOWAS ID Card recorded the highest with 115,587 cards issued. He added that 53,900 residence permits and 5,075 entry visas were issued for the same period. OIC Jarju disclosed that 754 individuals were granted extended stays in the country while 184 emergency travel certificates were issued. Meanwhile, he pointed out that following the signing of the contract between the government of The Gambia and SEMLEX (Gambia) for the production of ECOWAS biometric ID cards, residence permits, non-Gambian ID cards, and alien cards, the First International Bank now VISTA Bank (The Gambia) has been instructed as per an agreement to receive and also effect the 40%and 60% revenue-sharing between thegovernment of The Gambia and SEMLEX (Gambia) Ltd.
On GID’s revenue performance, OIC Jarjuinformed reporters that the department has exceeded its revenue target.
“The projected revenue for the year 2023 was D150, 000, 000.00. However, the total revenue generated was D212,454,000.00,” he stated. “This enviable mark was achieved due to the massive increase in persons, accessing immigration services over the period under review and also guaranteed effective monitoring of our financial processes, and procedures,leading to the blocking of revenue leakages and further ensuring that all monies collected at the various revenue collection points are paid into the various designated accounts and vigorous enforcement activities embarked upon by the enforcement unit of the GID and introduction of new fees during the first quarter of the year all contributed to this achievement,” Jarju prided.
He further stated that the gross revenue collection for the year 2023 against 2022 was D104, 407, 130.00, resulting in a positive variance of 103.49%, adding that most of the revenue was realized from Machine-ReadablePassport (MRP), ECOWAS residence permit B and biometric passport.
“The GID, through prudent measures, issued 53,900 on various categories of permits to non-Gambians. This is a 13.61% increase over the 2022 figure of 47,445,” he stated.
