By Abdoulie Nyockeh
The Governor of Upper River Region (URR), Mrs. Fanta Samateh-Manneh has underscored the significance of tax payment to government and the development of the country.
In an exclusive interview with this medium in his Basse office, the Regional Governor suggested that “taxpayers should not allow the tax authority to use last option by instituting legal action against them for failure to honour their tax obligation.”
Madam Samateh-Manneh challenged Gambians that tax should be every citizen’s concern, and she called on all and sundry to endeavour to be voluntary tax compliant.
According to her, tax is very important and the word sounds a lot to everybody and beyond in this country. The URR female head continued: “We all believe that our economy depends on the payment of tax starting with GRA or Area council. And collection of tax should be a concern to every citizen, particularly the people of Upper River Region.”
She indicated that no country could develop without citizens paying taxes, and that development couldn’t be attained in the absence of tax; or even to pay salaries, among others, “will not be possible”.
Governor Samateh-Manneh also observed that in this country payment of tax is an issue and it will continue to be an issue, unless and until people change their attitudes towards tax payment.
However, she used the opportunity to encourage every taxpayer in the country to voluntarily go and pay tax. without force or punishment or legal action against them. She also spoke extensively on some of the numerous developments that have taken place in her region, thanks to paying of taxes to the Basse Area Council.
The head of URR acknowledged the significant improvement of tax collections in her Region, as she thanked the new Chief Executive Officer of Basse Area Council for putting up strategies and new plans to make sure that people are going voluntarily to pay their taxes and on time. While admitting it’s not one hundred percent tax collection, but at least, it has significantly improved in URR, she noted.
She also commended the Basse Area Council for the “tremendous developments” registered at the villages and Lumos, in providing toilets facilities, water and building structures.
Governor Samateh-Manneh is not oblivious of some of the challenges they still have, and she appealed to her people to pay their taxes and on time; “So that the development that we are yearning for, will be achieved for national development”.
She also exhorted the tax authority to ensure that the money collected is ploughed back to the taxpayers.
Samateh-Manneh concluded by assuring that as a government, they would continue to give support to the taxpayers.
