By Mustapha Jallow
Yankuba Darboe, the Commissioner General (CG) of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has on Thursday disclosed his institution’s commitment to intensify the efforts of cleaning up and addressing the menace of malpractices happening in the clearing &forwarding system through boosting its technology system.
“While the majority of your membership exhibit commendable professionalism, it is regrettable that a few of your members engage in actions that tarnish the image of this esteemed association,’’ he told the association.
Darboe added: “I want to emphasize that such behaviour is not a reflection of the general membership. Therefore, GRA is steadfast in its commitment to addressing this menace. We urge you to maintain the high standards of professionalism that have been the hallmark of our collaboration.’’
He made these remarks during an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Association of Customs Clearing & Forwarding Agents (ACCFA) held at the International Conference Centre. The long day meeting brought together GRA officials, GPA, Trade Ministry, GCCI, senior members and other staff of the association.
Lately, the clearing and forwarding agents are widely criticized by the authority over their involvement in malpractices, tainting the image of the clearing association and the Gambia at large. However, the association’s executive and GRA are currently taking steps to address such practices
Darboe also noted ACCFA significant contribution to achieving the revenue performance target in 2023, complemented by the dedication of their staff.
“Let us collectively strive for excellence, by ensuring that our partnership remains an inspiration of professionalism and integrity in the field of international trade. Together, we can surmount challenges, break barriers and contribute meaningfully to the economic prosperity of our beloved nation,’’ he said.
Darboe tells the gathering that GRA is committed to providing support, streamlining processes and fostering an environment that encourages efficiency and transparency.
“Our AGM is a testament to our commitment to transparency, accountability and collective progress,’’ remarked Essa Wally, president of ACCFA.
He also talked about the single window, saying that when fully established – the result will be a total reduction in clearance time. In addition, he added that the introduction of electronic system for processing customs declarations has improved the accuracy of the documents submitted.
“This has reduced the level of effort required by Clearing & Forwarding Agents,’’ he said.
According to Wally, not all have been implemented.
For his part, Modou Sowe, the Secretary General of ACCFA touched on the trip of their Ghanaian counterparts, saying they had discussed issues affecting their jobs as clearing agents.
“We realised that we were all facing the same issues, especially the shipping lines. We also discussed the implementation of the single window in Ghana – which has reduced many issues between the agents and customs authorities,’’ he recalled.
