By Omar Bah
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) under the auspices of the IMF yesterday commenced a four-day intensive training on tax administration diagnostic assessment tool (TADAT).
The training which is currently underway at the Senegambia Beach Hotel brought together over twenty senior staff of the Gambia Revenue Authority.
The GRA commissioner general, Yankuba Darboe said the training is a clear testimony of the commitment of the current GRA management to take the authority to the next level with the continuous support of staff, the board, government and their development partners like the IMF.
“The training program for senior management and other relevant staff on the modules, procedures and requirements of the assessment will ensure an effective and smooth assessment once the TADAT het started,” he said.
He said the findings of the independent assessment, once completed, will further assist the authority to better improve on its service delivery as well as in setting up new strategic priorities going forward.
The TADAT, he added, is expected to assess and score the integrity of the registered taxpayer base, effective risk management, supporting voluntary compliance, timely filing of tax declarations, timely payment of taxes, accurate reporting in declarations, tax dispute resolution, efficient revenue management, accountability and transparency.
Commissioner Darboe prevailed on the participants to make good use of the workshop, “You are to keep in mind that among the GRA staff, only few of us could. Consequently, you are kindly urged to full advantage of this rare opportunity by also being punctual and cooperative.”
Speaking further, Commissioner Darboe disclosed that the GRA in consultation with the ministry of finance & economic affairs had also made a request to the IMF to conduct a tax administration assessment tool (TADAT) in August 2017.
“The request was approved and the assessment is now scheduled to take place from 10th -25th April, 2018,” he said.
Mr Darboe also thanked the IMF fiscal resident representative (FAD), the IMF AFRITAC West 2 centre, and the facilitators from Jamaica, Ghana and Uganda for accepting their request.
Meanwhile, the GRA deputy commissioner general, Essa Jallow said the idea of the TADAT assessment was driven from Ghana as country experience.
“The TADAT assessment is important for GRA to better understand the performance evaluation of our tax system to understand what is working and what is not working,” he said.
Tax administrations, he added, faces numerous risks that have potential to adversely affect revenue or tax administration operators thus managing risk is essential and requires structures approach to identify prioritizing and mitigating risk.
