By Mustapha Jallow
Accompanied by key members of management, the GRA Board of Directors recently completed a five-day benchmark visit to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). The visit was made possible through funding from the IMF ARFITAC WEST 2 Office in Ghana, and its objective was to provide GRA officials with valuable insights into the ZRA’s successful digitalization reforms and technology-driven initiatives for revenue collection.
Mrs. Lucy Fye-Jagne, Chairperson of the GRA Board, said that they were grateful to have the chance to connect with colleagues at ZRA, Zambia, as it gave them access to valuable insights and top-notch techniques that will undoubtedly improve our operations at GRA. Team Gambia eagerly anticipates implementing these lessons, bolstering their capabilities, and propelling digital transformations within GRA to serve valued taxpayers better.
During the visit, the GRA team emphasized vital areas essential to its ongoing digital transformation journey. This included examining e-tax and e-payment strategies, focusing on ZRA’s successful implementation of electronic tax filing and payment systems. The delegation gained valuable insights into ZRA’s processes, procedures, and best practices.
In addition, the delegation also explored ZRA’s tax automation systems and IT infrastructure to optimize GRA’s technology backbone. The visiting team also focused on understanding ZRA’s approach to attracting and developing skilled IT personnel, a critical aspect of GRA’s digitalization efforts. This included examining recruitment strategies, development plans, and training programs.
Gambia’s GRA team delved into ZRA’s techniques for storing, managing, and analyzing data. It aimed to discover the most effective methods for utilizing data insights and AI to enhance revenue collection and compliance and how ZRA seamlessly integrates various systems. Their objective was to gain knowledge that could help GRA optimize interoperability within GRA’s IT environment.
During their visit, the GRA delegation gained valuable insights from ZRA’s approach to mitigating compliance risks in the digital sphere, a critical factor in facilitating effective tax collection. The group enjoyed productive discussions with top officials, including the Commissioner General. They also had the opportunity to witness ZRA’s innovative practices in action, observing demonstrations of TaxOnline, their proprietary revenue collection system, at the Chirundu One Stop Border Post and ZRA’s Innovation Hub.
Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe of GRA expressed his gratitude for the invaluable insights and best practices gained during this benchmarking visit, which will guide their digital transformation journey. He is confident that these learnings will help enhance revenue collection efficiency, improve taxpayer service, and ultimately contribute to The Gambia’s economic development. Additionally, the two institutions signed an MoU to formalize their fraternal relationship.
