Mr. Yankuba Darboe, the Commissioner General of Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has warned staff that the authority’s 2024 annual revenue target of D19. 2Billion is not a child play.
He was addressing customs officers recently at the Banjul International Airport while on tour with GRA Management Board.
Darboe urged staff to redouble their efforts and show more commitment, dedication, teamwork, and professionalism.
He stressed that this year’s business would not be as usual and strongly warned that there would be no comprised of misconduct from any GRA staff in terms of discipline, punctuality, code of conduct, and respect for order.
“GRA is a highly respected institution so when coming to work, staff of the institution should dress well and be punctual,” he warned.
CG Darboe disclosed that GRA has collected over a billion within two months January and February 2024, saying that this would have not been possible without the hard work of his staff and the digitalization system that GRA introduced by tracking imported goods coming into the Gambia.
He commended the tendency of the revenue collection in the first two months and hoped that with assurance and hard work from his staff, there would be no doubt that ends of March GRA would collect more than each of the months collected before.
He urged that to achieve this it needed team spirit and level-minded staff that would seal all leakages at their designated branch offices and allow revenue to flow to government coffers.
CG Darboe admitted that the level of compliance increased over the years but the GRA staff still need to go to the field to collect more revenue to enable them to meet their monthly target and annual target.
He stresses that there is no room for complacency in terms of indiscipline, and disrespect for hierarchy, from their various managers.
“We posted and appointed you as managers to represent the Commissioner General in your various branch offices but not to micro-manage you. This is a big responsibility entrusted to all managers and you must live up to expectations as a manager, otherwise, any wrongdoing, the head office headed by the Commissioner General would hold the manager responsible,” he warned.
He urged managers to monitor the junior staff daily otherwise, “whatever happens to any branch office the manager would be held accountable. Therefore, staff should show high commitment and professionalism in the collection of revenue from the taxpayers.”
He pointed out that GRA addresses challenges or constraints they face with urgency and staff motivation is a priority of GRA, especially his office.
Madam Lucy Fye Jagne, GRA Board Chair commended GRA revenue performance from all branch offices
She stated that GRA did well not only in revenue collection but other areas that led to the high performance of revenue.
She commended GRA staff, particularly the female staff, and advised them to redouble efforts through a commitment to mount a high position in GRA.