Basse Area Council Set To Introduce Digital Collection Levies, Taxes

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By Lamin Fatty

The Basse Area Council has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 5C Energy Company Gambia Ltd and Magnalink on Wednesday January 29th 2020 to modernize and harmonize the activities and services of the Council in revenue collection.

As part of the parties to the MoU, the two Companies plan to consult, engage and conduct pre-feasibility studies to be followed with contractual negotiation as a matter of co-operation between them and Basse Area Council. The two Companies have been at the forefront of Government’s service modernization and have also led as technology solution providers in the country.

Speaking to this reporter after the presentation and signing ceremony of the MoU, Ba Kutubo Sillah of 5C Energy Company Gambia said with Council will be provided with a digitalized revenue collection system that will prevent financial leakage during revenue collection; that the system will provide the Chairperson or Finance Director of Council with the opportunity of seeing all that is going on in their offices, without moving anywhere.
“We will provide collectors with a device that has a camera and will create tickets and a drone will be used to make an aerial view of the whole region to identify all collection points that will be registered in the system. All collectors will be trained on how to use these machines and it will prevent financial leakage during revenue collection,” Sillah said.

According to Sillah, the Brikama Area Council has started using the system already.

Aboubacar Kanteh, Finance Director at Basse Area Council highlighted how the system will help them monitor and control revenue collectors during revenue collection.

The signing ceremony was graced by Regional Authorities including Governor Fanta BS Manneh, TAC members and Councilors of URR.