The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) just did their annual awards, but how can they make it better for the ‘best Tax payers’ and the General Public? Gigo Construction were among the winners, awarded : ‘most compliant construction tax payer of the year 2024’. We all know GRA uses this borrowed idea to encourage tax paying. Nothing wrong in borrowing good ideas, but can GRA leaders think, initiate, or accept suggestions from a caring Gambian/African? Presently, GRA largely focuses on borrowing ideas that directly boost revenue collection, but they need some more circumspect indirect incentives for big to small taxpayers, which also boost revenue collection. I do not want to waste your precious time on lecturing you on the importance of taxes, they are the bloodline of government. So pay taxes and fight for your taxes to be well utilized? Direct and indirect will never be equal in the minds of many, so how can GRA or the tax authority of your country directly help in building more Universities as example?
Broadening Awards: Rather than one Company per industry in a year, some industries deserve up to three recipients. I can understand industries like telecommunications (mobile and internet Services) , it is best to award just one, the best, so they compete rigorously and avoid every company getting an award. There may be three to five telecommunication companies in many countries, but over hundred construction companies in even small Gambia. So if you tell me, giving Gigo construction an Award will make the CEO, mr. Amadou Gigo, try to pay more taxes next year, I will agree. Is it not better to have three construction CEOs smile and compete a lot more next year, and that will contribute to the other over hundred to compete and hope to win?
For Example:
Platinum Award: Most Compliant Construction Tax payer. Gold Award: Second Most Compliant Construction Tax Payer. Bronze award: Third most compliant Construction tax payer.
You create a lot more vigorous competition and acknowledgment culture. Such will make Torodo Builders, Taf Construction, etc to still compete for the top award and wonder if they had just paid one thousand dollar more in taxes, they could have outperform Gigo Construction. Similarly, if Gigo construction drops to second position next year, they will still strive for the top, but may retain the bragging rights of within ‘top three’ for one decade straight, as an imaginary example.
Points on Bidding: We all know these companies are often eager to win more contracts than paying taxes or even getting such awards. By giving three points to the top, two and one to the other winners, the Contract procurement Authority of your country can mildly use them in awarding contracts. Let’s say: Gigo construction, Torodo Builders, and Taf construction are on a tie on other pre-requirements, giving the contract to the most willing tax payer will help. I know the smaller construction companies may wrongly claim potential disadvantage, but the point system is just to be used on a tie or too close a call. Each country may use it differently. Beside the tie situation, every section tends to carry points just like your exams in schools, so if it carries minimal but encouraging points, small companies or the number 3 (bronze Award) can still outperform the top tax payer/compliant.
Tax Deductions for University Building: Recently I published an article titled: ‘International Open Chance Day: July First’, you can search for it on the internet if you are not familiar with the idea. By giving Gigo construction, Qcell, or xyz a tax deduction certificate of three million dollars towards university building will mean: Gigo Construction or xyz can just donate any amount up to three million dollars towards a university, come July first, and be able to deduct full, half, quarter of that amount on their tax dues. We all know part of what Gigo construction pays goes to school funding, but that is indirect. By creating a more direct contribution route, Mr. Amadou Gigo, Dangote, Youssou Ndure, Muhammed Jah, Mo Ibrahim, or xyz may actually feel like it is better to donate three million dollars to a university than to pay one million dollars in taxes s/he suspects a small fraction may go to the highest needed education. Many in the top private sector may never openly criticise the government, but that does not mean they are happy or unwilling to help in other ways. After calling for these marvelous ideas, neither Saihou omar Gigo of Torodo Builders, nor Amadou Gigo of Gigo Construction, nor Muhammed Jah of Qgroup, etc called me to see how we can realize what they may totally or partially agree with. I am fairly certain that president Barrow and any president would have smiled if the top business folks jointly helped build universities while he is president. As said, it takes a lot of money to build the needed universities, so the government must smartly court and even sacrifice where need be. It will not significantly affect your tax revenues and can greatly move the country, and is worth trying. Even if all top three per industry choose to utilize these awarded deductions, we are talking six (3+2+1) million dollars in one industry shifted in impressive ways, to boost tax revenues and many things within a decade. The rest of the industry will still pay directly to you. I will argue all taxpayers should be offered to pay about upto a quarter of their tax dues in such crowd-funding for more universities. Again, the amount they paid can be a tax credit in full, half, or quarter. Meaning if Jarga or xyz has $4000 tax dues, quarter will mean s/he can donate $1000 to the university, but the law may say minus $1000, $500, or just $250 as example. Some will not take it, but others may genuinely try it. So I will suggest a full or half rate as trial for a few years, then you can always adjust where need be.
Points on all Citizens: When GRA started their tin-number issuing and sales tax, they should have made it digital with tax incentives.
, but can they repent? Imagine anywhere you bought products or services, you give them your digital Tin card — if you pay $1000 in sales tax in a year, you get back 10% or 25%. The idea is not just to help or thank the consumer, but they become invisible police to pressure businesses to pay taxes. Please do not ask me in which country it exists, but we are a poor country that needs education and pressure tactics on the importance of paying taxes. A similar tactic exists on income tax in the u.s and it is called ‘tax-return’. Presently, GRA uses Tariff and sales tax, plus very few companies are paying or underpaying even the sales tax dues. Beside the digital card, it can even be some form of an app, but verification will then require data usage. Input can be done without an internet connection of the client. The service world hardly pays taxes in the Gambia. Few years ago, I paid D700 for about a five minute service on my vehicle, right outside GRA. That mechanic may pay zero taxes on that and complain against the GRA and the government at large. Once such is normalized, a digital receipt means s/he may add taxes, but s/he will pay a lot more through income tax to satisfy my heart, and I may get a few dalasis (dollars) back, plus a possible draw to win millions at the end of the year? Even if it is three million draw every year, many will demand receipt for love of country and many more for hope of steps towards riches… If the government collects ten more millions, then what is giving back three millions as an example?
A ‘National annual Event’ for University or factories: Besides the dinner award night you may not invite my poor type, how can we make much bigger events without risks? Every crazy Gambian wants us to call Youssou Ndure of Senegal in a gamble like Fundraising. Rather than paying anyone, the annual musical or xyz event should have no upfront payment, but twenty five percent to the eligible performers, ten percent for organizing volunteers, and the rest to a known cause: university or camera factory for security, more tax paying, etc. Risk free approach on any paid event and some TV crowdfunding. We all know all monies GRA legally collects goes to the government , but what percentage of that goes to university or schools? By choosing an amount, the government can say this July first, the government will match up to one, five, or xyz million dollars for a high tech university as example. Meaning if the event brought in one or five million dollars, crowdfunding one or ten million dollars, and the government gives one to five million dollars will total to what? It is almost like extra voluntary tax paying but for a well known purpose. I do not need to outline the difference it will make and we must again use risk free approaches if the TV/communication companies cannot offer free services.
I privately poked fun at my bigger brother, Mr. Amadou Gigo: I told him it also means he collected the most money in construction? Well, not really. Tax paying in the Gambia is hard on paper, but very lenient on enforcement. It is very possible for someone to have collected close to or a lot more than mr. Gigo in construction, but he chooses to pay his fair share or just more. The top tax payer in every industry may still have under-paid the dues, because they have a very sick mindset in the world of many governments. As folks like me insist for culture of cameras and many other things, demanding fair treatment from companies and people is as important as tax paying. I believe the government should reduce many taxes , but vigorously ascertain all or most people pay their dues. GRA is just a tax collector, not the tax rate setters. I am not saying the folks at GRA are good or bad, but perhaps all of us can do better. The second in command at GRA, mr. Essa Jallow, happens to be a very close friend of mine, we are blood cousins, friends, and ex-classmates. Despite that, I give you the authority to ‘cut his throat’, his bosses, and even his juniors if they dare challenge these are not good ideas. Let them submit or I can debate them on TV … On a positive note or needed acknowledgement: I once caught mr. Essa Jallow scolding his wife to go pay her taxes. It was slightly awkward, but impressive too. Knowing he certainly does give the wife more than the tax dues of her then small business, my deductions included he wanted her to understand the importance of paying taxes… Despite our closeness, I sometimes do not see him for six months, hardly go there, but God took me there to witness that special moment? Again, some of you may know good or evil about him and GRA, but this happened many years ago, and the article calls for it more than I am pleased to acknowledge good about my friend. Many of us know GRA is not anywhere near perfect, but they may have bosses that hamper them beyond bad tax rate settings. Working for the government sometimes sadly means defending what you may not believe in or arguing against what you know is intelligent, truthful, or kind. As an independent writer, I scolded my brothers publicly to support International Open-Chance day, among others. So I am certainly pleased with the award and the suggestions are for many other companies to benefit, far beyond the Gambia.
A prominent Gambian writer, name withheld, was complaining about the ‘lack of women’ in the GRA entourage that met with president Barrow. I told him he seems to be too much on DEI, which has its cons more than the pros, if any. If we truly care, mass learning opportunities matter most, then merits matter more in the world of work… Tolerable encouragement is understandable, but it is insane to argue every department must have women at the top, then they further impose it on the private sector, country by country? We will say God’s curse be upon those who call for such and I am ready to debate them about it. Beside the top, the average and bottom matters beyond the illusory hope they argue for ministers and now every department? When will they fight for all children to access quality education as they fight for women or a fraction of women, from good to guilty women? As said, mr. Essa Jallow is second in command at GRA and the last time I know his assistant was a female since the days of Jammeh. She may have travelled, sick, recently had a baby, took a higher paying job or even fired… Race and gender does not matter as many people think. If that post happens to be vacant at some point, it makes no sense to deny qualified people based on gender or race, or tribe, and keep on searching for a woman… contrast his shortsighted complaint to a guilty public versus the countless suggestions God offers through me? Why are women not suggesting like me, sharing my thoughts a lot more, or should I or xyz be ever denied a position because they want a woman or special tribe/race there? Once we accept universal mass uplifting opportunities, then the good men and women will thrive, with or without government.
It is only through mass uplifting in the worlds of learning and working opportunities we can get a lot more earthly blessings. May God help us a lot more and bless us through Showlove Trinity: let’s learn, let’s work, let’s have fun.
By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer.
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn.
