By Fatou Sillah
The Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), Yankuba Darboe, has assured taxpayers that the Authority will not increase tax rates to achieve its 2026 revenue target of D27 billion, emphasizing that adjusting tax rates falls outside the GRA’s mandate.
“We are not going to increase any tax rates because it is not within our mandate to increase tax rates,” he said.
He explained that decisions on tax policy and rate adjustments are the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance, noting that recent reforms have focused on easing the tax burden rather than imposing higher rates.
“When we want something to do with tax rates, we have to refer to the Ministry of Finance, and if you follow the trend of GRA over the years, we have been reducing tax rates or even taxable income,” he said.
Darboe cited recent changes to the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system as an example, highlighting an increase in the income threshold for PAYE deductions.
“If you follow the trend of GRA over the years, we have been reducing tax rates or even taxable income; before, those who are affected by PAYE, pay as you earn, with salaries, if you have D24,000, then you start paying the PAYE, but now that has been moved to D36,000,” he explained.
He further clarified that the 2026 revenue target was not unilaterally imposed on the GRA but was jointly determined through consultations with the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“Target setting is done by GRA, the Ministry of Finance, and the IMF, and we discuss it; once it’s agreed, it means that it is our target,” he said.
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