By Omar Bah
The Gambia has lost D4.33 billion in duty waivers in 2024, despite improved revenue performance due to better tax administration.
The government grants duty waivers primarily to support economic growth, enhance domestic revenue mobilisation, and provide relief to specific sectors. Duty exemptions are also aimed at facilitating trade, attracting investment, and supporting humanitarian efforts by allowing imports for charitable organisations and government projects without the burden of customs duties.
However, these waivers also pose challenges, such as revenue loss and compliance issues. prompting the need for a structured duty waiver policy to ensure accountability and minimise misuse.
Responding to a Standard question on the issue at a recent press conference, the GRA Commissioner General, Yankuba Darboe, said the exemptions include a duty waiver and Special Investment Certificate.
“There is a committee responsible for the Special Investment Certificate at the ministry of trade comprising the GRA, Ministry of Finance and GIEPA. When this committee grants a duty waiver, they will contact the GRA for enforcement,” he said.
CG Darboe added that the GRA is able to know the exact amount involved in the waivers because they ensure that all these given duty waivers or special investment certificates do a declaration to ensure that they have all the data to be able to corroborate the numbers.
“This helps the government to be able to make decisions in the future,” he said.
The government has also placed a duty waiver on all rice imported into the country.
“The government has taken that deliberate policy to impose zero duty and VAT on the imports of rice. The only payment importers make is the 5.1 percent on processing fee, Eco and AU levy to complete their documentation, which helps us to have data on the volume of products imported into the country,” he said.
