By Haddy Touray
The newly appointed Chairperson of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) Board, Mr. Dawda Ndure, has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to modernising the tax and customs systems to ensure efficiency, fairness, and improved compliance.
Speaking at the 7th Edition of the Taxpayers’ Award Ceremony held at Coco Ocean Hotel and presided over by President Adama Barrow, Mr. Ndure emphasised the need to strengthen systems to reduce the tax gap and create a level playing field for all businesses and individuals.
“Your compliance, besides being an obligation, complements the GRA compliance strategy which focuses on preventing non-compliance through improved policies, promoting good compliance through education and support, and correcting non-compliance to ensure fairness,” he told attendees, which included top government officials, taxpayers, and development partners from the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF).
Mr. Ndure, who now serves as the 4th Chairperson of the GRA Board, expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him and the newly constituted Board. He described their appointment as both a privilege and a challenge, given the high revenue targets set amid current economic pressures.
He commended the leadership of Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe and assured that the Board would work diligently to implement the Authority’s new Corporate Strategic Plan (2025–2029), following the transition from the 2020–2025 framework.
“Our GRA is a family, and with that spirit, we will succeed,” he said, pledging that key performance indicators will be monitored regularly, underpinned by transparency and accountability. He further stressed that empowering women and ensuring equal opportunities is vital to national progress.
Ndure also called for adequate resourcing of the GRA to improve service delivery, noting that poor service harms compliance, business activity, and public trust in the tax system. “A strong economy needs an effective tax system. GRA must be properly resourced for the job it has to do,” he said.
He concluded by congratulating award recipients, praising their dedication to tax compliance and urging others to emulate their example. “Your commitment has set the yardstick. I hope next year’s competition will be even keener as more embrace tax compliance as a hallmark of good citizenship,” he added.
