By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday January 25th 2019, awarded compliant tax payers at the third Edition of the GRA Taxpayer Award Ceremony.
Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe, said the authority has set aside the day to recognize and thank its valuable customers for their continued compliance with the Gambia’s revenue laws, given their central role in financing Government’s development agenda.
Darboe said the GRA revenue performance of 2018, represented a nominal revenue growth of D1.16 billion or 15 percent compared to the 2017 revenue collection of D7.97 billion; that this was made possible due to the compliance of their esteemed taxpayers.
He disclosed that presently, GRA accounts for 70 percent of Government recurrent expenses and that the annual revenue growth since the advent of the Authority from 2007 to date, stands at 10 percent, due mainly to the collaboration, partnership and continued commitment of taxpayers.
“The payment of tax by citizens and other taxpayers, is an exchange on the part of the taxpayer for the provision and enjoyment of basic facilities that makes life comfortable and bearable for everyone. Compliance with tax laws is a repetition of the undertaking of the citizenry under the social contract to pay their own fair share of taxes,” he said; that if the Gambia is to develop to a nation that the citizenry aspires for, the fulfilment of their tax obligations to engineer the socio-economic development of the country, becomes incumbent on them.
“We will remain even more vigilant against deliberate non-compliance through fraud, negligence and avoidance techniques. Thus, I would implore on everyone to continue to be good taxpayers, as tax payment is indeed noble and divine,” he concludes.
The following were awarded most tax compliant individuals and organisations in their respective domains for the year 2018:
Africel Gambia Limited as the largest GSM Company, Awa Ceesay Sabally, medium taxpayer, Angela Blenn, small taxpayer, Comium, compliant GSM Company, EcoBank, Financial Institution, Bakutu Hotel, Shyben A Madi and Sons Ltd Importer, Banjul Breweries Ltd Manufacturer, Jah Oil Company Ltd Oil Marketing Company, Stop Step Pharmacy, Health Care, Construct Ltd Construction Company, The Central Bank of The Gambia Pay as you Earn taxpayer, Demba Jack and Others Rental income taxpayer, Wedad Accessories Most VAT Taxpayer, Gambia Ports Authority Public Enterprise, Alieu Ceesay WCR Regional Taxpayer, Fortune Petroleum NBR Taxpayer, Momodou Salieu Bah LRR Taxpayer, Lamin Jawara CRR Taxpayer and Malick Jallow URR Taxpayer.
