Abdoulie Dibba The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has taken over the revenue collection of the five (5) area councils in the country namely, Mansakonko, Kerewan, Kuntaur, Janjanbureh and Basse with effective from 1st March 2015 but lack the man power on the ground.This development was confirmed by the Chairman of the Mansakonko Area Council, the Chief Executive Office of Kerewan Area Council, the Chief Executive Officer of Kuntaur Area Council, the Chairman of Janjanbureh Area Council and the Chairman of Basse Area Council when they were contacted. The officials have indicated an executive director has authorized GRA to start collecting the rates and duties that used to be the work of the area councils with effective from the 1st of March 2015 but added that the authority lack the human resource on the ground to do the collection and as such it is the councils’ revenue collectors that are collecting the revenue on their behalf. The council officials told this reporter that the revenue they are collecting will now be paid into an account that is controlled by the GRA and that the funds can only be accessed through requests made and authorization by the ministry of finance. According to a letter from the ministry for Lands and Regional Government, all Councils have been informed that with effect from 1March 2015 the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) will be responsible for the collection of all revenues on behalf of the councils without exception.]]>
