By Omar Bah
GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe has urged his staff to maintain unity and uphold the institution’s integrity.
Addressing a meeting organised by GRA’s HR Department to review the authority’s strategic plan, CG Darboe emphasised the importance of ethical standards and teamwork in achieving organisational goals.
“We are able to achieve all the great things we have achieved thanks to our unity and togetherness. I want to urge all of you to maintain that spirit of unity and commitment to serving the authority. Let us help and be there for each other. We have set the bar very high, and nothing should derail that progress. Forward ever, backward never,” he advised.
He said unity is crucial for institutions like the GRA as it fosters collaboration and efficiency in tax administration.
“A unified approach ensures that all stakeholders work towards common goals, reducing conflicts and improving compliance among taxpayers,” he stated.
Furthermore, CG Darboe added that unity within GRA can strengthen public trust, essential for effective governance and sustainable economic growth.
He said the merger of Customs & Excise Department and the Central Revenue Department in 2004 was aimed at enhancing efficiency in tax administration and optimising revenue collection.
The GRA now oversees a broader range of tax functions, mobilising about 20% of the GDP and 80% of government revenue, thereby playing a crucial role in national economic management.
“GRA consists of eight departments, and all of them are very relevant to the authority, and no one department can go without the other,” he said.
CG Darboe said the Gambia Revenue Authority is one of the few institutions in the country that places such a strong emphasis on staff orientation.
The deputy commissioner general and head of domestic taxes, Essa Jallow, said the meeting gives a good reflection of GRA’s strategic plan and commended CG Darboe for continuing to put the welfare of the staff at the top of his priorities.
