By: Dawda Baldeh

As Gambians anticipate taking part in the country’s median African Cup of Nations, the president of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Lamin Kaba Bajo has said that the Federation and the team are fully prepared to compete in Cameroon.

He was speaking at State House as they waited for the arrival of the Scorpions ahead of the Gala Dinner.

Bajo explained that although the coronavirus pandemic has affected some of the players, they will still go on to make history. He used the opportunity to express hope that the infected players will have a quick recovery.

“We are very happy with the team and the coach. They have demonstrated professionalism in the past months. They helped the country to qualify for the first time. We know they will make us proud in Cameroon again. They are not just going to play but they will raise the country’s flag higher,” Lamin Kaba Bajo said.

On his part, Honourable Bakary Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports said the players are doing pretty well. Adding that efforts have been made to reach this level.

“We thank the government for supporting the Scorpions. They are putting so much effort to help the team succeed. We can’t thank them less,” he said.

The team eventually arrived at State House for the Gala Dinner and had the opportunity to interact with President Adama Barrow ahead of their trip to Cameroon.

The team will leave Banjul for Cameroon tomorrow. They will play Mauritania on Wednesday 12th January 2022. This is the first time Gambia has qualified for the AFCON.

By: Dawda Baldeh

British-Nigerian singer and songwriter Azeez Adeshina Fashola born on 10th May 1991, known by the stage name Naira Marley and President of “Marlians” (fan club), will be performing live at the African Cup of Nations fundraising program at Independent Stadium in Gambia on Friday 7th January 2022.

Naira Marley began singing in 2014 after discovering his passion for music and was encouraged by close-knit friends to pursue his music career. He released the Max Twigz-assisted track “Marry Juana” before releasing his debut EP Gotta Dance in 2015.

He released several Albums from 2014 to 2021 including “MarryJuana”, “Issa Goal” a song which became the theme song for the super eagles at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“Am I A Yahoo Boy”, “Soapy”, “Lord Of Lamba”, “Coming” among other songs. Naira Marley sings in English, Yoruba and Pidgin, his music is a blend of Afrobeats and hip-hop. He derives his name from Jamaican Singer Bob Marley, whom he admires; his dreadlocks are also a tribute to the singer.

Naira Marley is among the most famous Nigerian Singers and his coming to The Gambia is expected to add value to the fundraising event. He expressed his profound gratitude for the warm welcome accorded him and his delegation.

“The crowd I received is huge and am overwhelmed,” Naira Marley said. The coming of Naira Marley in Gambia is facilitated by Lamin Jallow Gambian forward soccer player commonly known as beck.

His arrival at the Banjul International Airport was witnessed by hundreds of his fans who escorted him to the hotel.

“I am very happy to be in Gambia, it is like am at home. I love Gambia in heart,” Naira Marley said.

“I will perform well on Friday. I never knew that I have such support in Gambia. Music is part of my life and I use it to educate and entertain people,” Marley said.

On his part, Lamin Jallow said, “I organised the fundraising to help my team in the African Cup of Nations to be played in Cameroon. Since I came back to Gambia I realized that a lot needs to be done and this is how I came up with the idea to raise funds for the team.”

He thanked the sponsors and everyone who helped him bring Naira Marley to Gambia for the fundraising.

“I am calling on all Gambians to come out in their numbers to support. We cannot do it alone and we need people to come in and support,” he said.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving in Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations after a video emerged of him partying with teammates in Dubai on the eve of the tournament.

The 32-year-old now has to self-isolate and is a major doubt for Gabon‘s opening two matches against Comoros on Monday and Ghana four days later.

Although it is unclear exactly how Aubameyang contracted the virus, Aubameyang was pictured in Dubai on a night out with Mario Lemina, who has also since tested positive.

Arsenal had given Aubameyang dispensation to leave early in preparation for the tournament after manager Mikel Arteta decided he would not be involved in last weekend’s Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Aubameyang had been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy with ESPN revealing on Dec. 22 that the club were willing to listen to offers for the striker in January after a deterioration in his relationship with Arteta.

The coach had grown tired of repeated disciplinary breaches and believed Aubameyang was not setting the right example to the rest of the squad, claiming he lacked the “commitment and passion” to play for Arsenal.

Aubameyang was consequently told to train away from the rest of his team-mates and allowed to join up with Gabon several days early.

By contrast, Arsenal retained Ghana‘s Thomas Partey, Ivory Coast‘s Nicolas Pepe and Egypt‘s Mohamed Elneny until after the City game.

The latest episode will cast fresh doubt over Aubameyang’s attitude. He has been warned over potential breaches of COVID-19 protocol in the past.

He was previously fined for missing a COVID-19 test before a Europa League fixture and last February, Aubameyang was “reminded of his responsibilities” after footage emerged of him receiving a tattoo despite strict coronavirus guidelines

Source: ESPN

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Gambian Sports Veterans comprising former players and coaches on Thursday 6th January 2022, presented cash to the tune of two hundred thousand dalasis (D200,000) to the National Scorpions at Ocean Bay Hotel in Bakau. The presentation is meant to support the players ahead of the tournament in Cameroon.

Speaking at the presentation, Sheikh Ndure, Chairman of the sports veterans group said they are excited to support the Scorpions, noting that the cash presented to the team is an individual contribution from the sport’s veterans. He added that each player and official will receive Six Thousand Dalasi (D6000).

The presentation was witnessed by The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) President Lamin Kaba Bajo and other officials from GFF.

“We are very happy to see the success of the scorpions in the tournament. We have tried during our time to qualify the county for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) but we were not lucky to do so. The Scorpions has made the entire country proud,” Sheikh Ndure Sports Veterans Chairman said.

Mr. Ndure noted that the presentation is to help the soccer players address some of their challenges.

Representing the team Pa Modou Jagne Team Captain and Omar Colley second team Captain, both expressed delight on behalf of the team while describing the gift presented to them as huge.

“We are very glad to receive this cash from Gambian Sports Veterans. This is huge and we are very glad,” Omar Colley said.

“As football players, our dream is to win trophies for our country.”
He further stated that the money given to them is the best gift and will further motivate them to do more for the country.

Pa Samba Jaw, a veteran coach also joined the players to thank the donors whilst calling on Gambians to support the team.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Gambia National Soccer Team players have today returned home from Qatar after their campaign. They went on to meet President Adama Barrow to bid farewell before officially leaving for the African Cup of Nations which will be hosted in Cameroon.

Their arrival at the Banjul International Airport was witnessed by The Gambia Football Federation officials, the main sponsors of the Tournament Africell Gambia and the fan base.
The scorpions received a warm welcome as Gambians came out in their numbers to show their support for the team.

Speaking to The Fatu Network briefly, team coach Tom Saintfiet said the team is fully prepared to participate in the African Cup of Nations.

“We are very prepared as any other team. Though we have challenges here and there. Including the fact that I was not able to interact with some of my players since November. But we hope to do our best,” he said.

Pa Modou Jagne the team captain expressed their readiness to fully participate in the top African competition.

“We are very ready to play for our country. As you all know this is the first time The Gambia is taking part in the competition compared to other countries who are more experienced than us,” he said.

With Amara Thoronka

British English and American English are the two standard English recognized globally. British English is the one spoken in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Wales); while American English is of the United States.

In English exams, students are permitted to use any of the two, but they should be consistent. For example, mechanical accuracy [an assessment component in making English essays] frowns at the intermittent use of both versions of English in writing letters, essays and other forms of continuous writing.

Are there differences between the two? Of course, there are. The are different in spelling, vocabulary, grammar and accent.

This series (Part 1) shows the difference in spelling. Other categories of difference will be featured in other series.

Part 1: Spelling

1. American English drops “U” in the following spellings:

George Floyd’s four-year-old great-niece Arianna Delane was shot at night while she was sleeping in what her father claimed was a targeted attack. Arianna was one of the two children and four adults who were sleeping inside the second floor of their south Houston, Texas apartment when a shooter opened fire at around 3 am on New Year’s Day.

Arianna was sleeping in the front bedroom when gunfire broke out. She survived the attack and is recovering after emergency surgery for a punctured lung and liver. She also suffered three broken ribs.

“My daughter jumped up and said, ‘Daddy, I’ve been hit’ and I was shocked until I saw the blood and I realised my four-year-old daughter was really hit,” Arianna’s father Derrick Delane told ABC 13 Houston.

“She didn’t know what was going on. She was asleep,” he added.

Houston police in a statement said they do not know the possible motive of the firing or if the girl or other family members were targeted. Mr Delane claimed it was a targeted shooting but did not elaborate.

The family has accused the police of a delayed response and said officials did not arrive until 7 am.

Houston’s police chief Troy Finner said in a statement that an Internal Affairs investigation has been launched into the late response.

“I am aware and have concerns regarding the delayed response time in this incident and have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation,” he said.

“I ask the city to continue to pray for the child’s full recovery and assist in providing information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect or suspects responsible.”

George Perry Floyd Jr. was an African-American man who was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest . Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd’s neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. After his murder, protests against police brutality, especially towards black people, quickly spread across the United States and globally. His dying words, I Can’t Breathe” became a rallying cry.

Source: Independent

The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Sunday in Cameroon after a delay over COVID concerns. Amidst the good news the tournament is also posing major security, political and organisational challenges for the host nation.

Some were fearing yet another postponement, with African football chief Patrice Motsepe saying late last month that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in a country with a low vaccination rate is “an enormous challenge”.

The African Football Confederation (known by its French acronym CAF) has set down draconian rules that may bar fans from entering stadiums en masse.

Spectators must be fully vaccinated and show a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before a match.

Stadium capacity is set at 60% though it will be increased to 80% when Cameroon’s own “Indomitable Lions” play- notably, in the opening match against Burkina Faso on Sunday.

Motsepe, a South Africa mining tycoon, has already acknowledged the risks presented by a proliferation of false tests.

COVID is already having an impact with Senegal delaying its departure for the tournament, after three players tested positive and small Gambia saying it is facing a “catastrophe” because it is not allowed to replace players hit by COVID.

Cameroon, a central African country of 27 million people, has officially recorded 1,840 COVID deaths from 110,000 infections, though experts warn of under-reporting.

Few people wear masks and only 2.4% of the population has been vaccinated in the country led for nearly four decades by strongman Paul Biya.

‘A political tool’

Cameroon was chosen in 2014 to stage the African football showcase in 2019 but fell behind with preparations. Egypt stepped in at the last minute to host the event in Cameroon’s place.

The 2021 tournament was postponed twice, first because of fears that torrential seasonal rains could affect the tight schedule, and then because of the COVID pandemic.

But major infrastructure projects were also at issue, with the flagship Olembe complex in the capital Yaounde still not fully completed.

Cameroon’s hardline President Biya, 88, has looked to the hosting of the African football fiesta as a way to burnish his international image following his latest disputed election victory in 2018, handing him a seventh term.

Late last month, dozens of activists from the main opposition party were given prison terms of up to seven years for taking part in peaceful protests against his rule.

In Yaounde, Biya’s portrait often appears besides ads for the football tournament.

“He has always used football as a political tool to rally Cameroonians and surf on their success,” said Jean-Bruno Tagne, author of “The Tragedy of the Indomitable Lions.”

Some in the opposition and civil society have also denounced “the indecency” of the cost of organising the cup in a country whose poverty rate has hit nearly 40% and a third of the population lives on less than two euros a day, according to the World Bank.

“If Cameroon wins, Cameroonians can forget everything. But if it goes badly, there will need to be scapegoats and heads will certainly roll,” political scientist Stephane Akoa said.

Source: AFP 

By Christian Conteh

On January 6, 1999, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels attacked the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital and randomly massacred its inhabitants. This was just a fraction of the country’s civil war which lasted for 11 years (1991-2002).

They gunned down fleeing civilians, razed houses to the ground, rapped women indiscriminately, amputated limbs and gouged out eyes.

The RUF unleashed a wave of ruthless terror on Freetown, claiming more than 7000 lives according to Human Rights Watch (1999).

According to the report, James kajue, a resident of Freetown was stopped at gunpoint as he was trying to flee the city with his family. The rebels demanded money from Mr. Kajue, another rebel approached the scene and said,

“why are you wasting your time with these civilians? just kill them all.”

The rebel then emptied his AK-47 into the car, killing six members of James Kajue’s family, including his infant grandson. Human Rights Watch (1999) reported.

The major streets were littered with bodies, killed in cold blood, buildings reduced to rubbles. The invasion saw the death of thousands of Sierra Leoneans and foreigners and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of others.

According to the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report, some of the root causes of the war (which are still prevalent today) were the abuse of human rights, lack of political space, curtailing of freedoms and civil liberty, economic and social deprivation, poor governance and corruption.

A few days to the expiration of the 14-day period within which names adversely mentioned in the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) Report can file a request for a ‘Plea for Amnesty’ the TRRC has decided to extend the deadline.

The new deadline is Friday, 21st January 2022 at 12.30 PM at the TRRC Secretariat, the former Dunes Hotel.

The ‘plea for amnesty’ is in line with Section 19(1) of the TRRC Act of 2017 which makes provision for individuals who made full and remorseful disclosure before the commission to be granted amnesty if the commission thinks they are deserving of it.

The TRRC Act further provides that a person may qualify for amnesty:

a. If the person has made full disclosure of his or her involvement in human rights violations and abuses; and

b. Expresses remorse for his or her acts or conduct.

However, it is important to note that amnesty shall not apply to crimes against humanity.
“In line with Section 19(3) amnesty shall not apply to acts which form part of a crime against humanity,”

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow strongly maintained that the applicants will be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The National People’s Party (NPP) has informed the general public that His Excellency President Adama Barrow, Secretary-General and Party Leader of the NPP will grace the Party’s National Victory Celebrations in Basse, Upper River Region on Saturday 8th January 2022.

This is in line with an agreement in the run-up to the campaign and election that a national celebration will be hosted by the region that comes out first in the December 4th presidential election and that the President will attend the celebration.
In this regard, the Upper River Region took first and earned the hosting right of this great event.

“On behalf of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, the National Executive Members of the NPP, all partner parties and Independents of our grand Alliance I wish to congratulate URR for coming out on top and profoundly express the President’s gratitude to all Gambians for the unprecedented show of love and confidence in him by re-electing him with an absolute majority,” the NPP statement said.

It adds that, “President Adama Barrow wishes to seize this opportunity to assure all Gambians that he will be a president for all Gambians and will continue to serve the best interest of the country while renewing his gratefulness to a grateful nation and her people credited for the unprecedented development strides of his government over the last five years.”

His Excellency President Adama Barrow is expected to be joined by leaders of allied parties and Independents.

Hong Kong officials on Wednesday implemented the city’s strictest restrictions since the coronavirus was first detected two years ago, including banning all passenger flights from eight countries, as it holds firm to a “zero-covid” policy amid a growing outbreak of the omicron variant.

Hong Kong has only a handful of community infections, including six omicron cases linked to a restaurant cluster. But the harsh restrictions are in part a response to the territory’s relatively low vaccination rates, particularly among the elderly. Only about 20% of those above age 80 are fully vaccinated, according to government statistics.

The restrictions also underscore how Hong Kong is hardening on its pandemic policy of eradicating the virus in the community at all costs, with the aim of zero new infections, even if it is leaving the international financial hub increasingly isolated and eroding its global competitiveness.

In announcing the new measures, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam described them as more “decisive and comprehensive” than any other restrictions the city has seen over the past two years. Passenger flights from the eight countries — the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan and the Philippines — had to be suspended, Lam said, because of a “drastic” increase in imported coronavirus cases.

“We are on the verge of another outbreak,” she said.

Those routes are the most heavily trafficked into and out of Hong Kong and include most of the cities where residents are returning from. The suspension will take effect Saturday and last for two weeks before it is reviewed.

Source: The Washington Post

By Amara Thoronka

Sierra Leone’s petroleum regulatory body, Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) has suspended the licenses of five gas stations in the country for doing what it described as ‘artificial shortage of fuel’ in the country.

In a release dated 4^th January 2022, the Agency noted that it had been monitoring the reports of artificial shortage of petroleum products despite the country being sufficiently stocked.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that a number of petroleum products dealers deliberately held back sales to end-users in anticipation of a price increase. This practice is tantamount to hoarding and it is an offence under Part VII, No.72 (2b) and Part VIII No.68 of the Statutory Instruments,” the release stated.

In consonance with its investigation, PRA has suspended the licenses of the following gas stations: Mohamed Kamalobee Koroma Enterprises at 1 Lower Allen Town in Freetown; NP at Campbell Street in Freetown; Total Fenesu Gas Station at Fenton Road in Bo District; Kalinga Enterprise Gas Station at Reservation Junction in Bo District; and Ibrahim Saccoh at Kenema Highway in Bo District.

The Agency cautioned that future defaulters would lose their licenses permanently.

“All Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and dealers are hereby warned that companies or dealers found to deliberately hold back sales of petroleum products will be deemed to have hoarded and shall not hesitate to permanently revoke licenses of companies or dealers found in breach of such.”

PRA disclosed that the official pump price for petroleum products is Ten Thousand Leones (about $1) for the month of January 2022 throughout Sierra Leone.

Seeming artificial scarcity of petroleum products has been a perennial issue in the country. This usually influences exponential hike in prices of petroleum products which invariably lead to transportation crisis and a whole lot of socio-economic inconveniences.

BY: GFF Media

Gambian journalist Momodou Bah has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to serve as a Media Editor for the body during the 2021 African Cup of Nations finals that gets underway in Cameroon this weekend.

Mr. Bah has since arrived in Cameroon this afternoon and together with GFF Executive member Lt. Col. Musa Jammeh and referee Bakary Papa Gassama, the trio will be amongst the non-playing staff that would be flying the Gambian flag in a tournament that The Gambia is participating for the very first time since the formation of Association football in our country 70 years ago.

“I’m really excited to be covering the AFCON for the first time. I’ve always wanted to be at this tournament and the last two editions I came so close but I couldn’t travel. The fact that I’ll be covering it for CAF makes it extra special – I will be covering it from the front the seat,” Mr. Bah GFF Media.

“I’m humbled that my first senior AFCON coverage features my Scorpions. I have covered the senior national team closely for the last seven years and to be at the AFCON with them is a dream come true for me.”

Together with the CAF Media, Mr. Bah also reports for BBC Africa Sports and is the Secretary General of Real de Banjul Football Club as well as the assistant Secretary General of the Sports Journalist Association of The Gambia.

The Gambia United Kingdom Forces Community (GUKFC) has on Wednesday 5th January 2022 officially presented assorted medical items to the Kanifing General Hospital.

The Counsellor at The Gambia High Commission London Mr. Suntou Touray and the hospital administrator presided over the presentation along with LAMIN Darboe RT.

The items will enhance the work of doctors and nurses at various hospitals. This donation is in line with Gambian Diasporans who seek to continue contributing immensely towards the improvement of the welfare of Gambians at home.

Gambian United Kingdom Forces Community was started exclusively for Gambian origins who are currently serving or have served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.

The Community is entirely free from any form of political and religious affiliation but will rather focus on socio-economic development and the creation of new opportunities for the members in the United Kingdom and around the globe.

Arsenal have been charged by the Football Association for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the Premier League defeat to Man City on New Year’s Day.

An ill-tempered affair saw Gunner’s defender Gabriel Magalhaes sent off after being booked twice inside two minutes during the second half, with Arsenal unable to hold on for a point as City came from behind to win 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the lead before Pep Guardiola’s side were awarded a controversial penalty just before the hour, with referee Stuart Atwell pointing to the spot after looking at the pitchside monitor and adjudging Granit Xhaka had fouled Bernardo Silva.

Gabriel caused a melee before the penalty could be taken and was shown a yellow card for scuffing the spot, although Riyad Mahrez finished coolly to level with City’s first shot on target before Rodri struck deep in stoppage time.

A statement from the FA read: “Arsenal FC has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 following its Premier League game against Manchester City FC on Saturday (01/01/22).

“It is alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 59th minute and the club has until Friday (07/01/22) to respond.”

Having seen City equalise, Arsenal should have retaken the lead moments later, Aymeric Laporte and Ederson suffering a miscommunication which saw the former’s back pass bounce towards the line and be hooked away by Nathan Ake.

Gabriel Martinelli should have tucked home the rebound but could only hit a post on the follow-up.

Things went from bad to worse for Arsenal when Gabriel was shown a second yellow card moments later for holding back compatriot Gabriel Jesus, with City eventually closing out an 11th straight Premier League win when Rodri slotted in following Kevin De Bruyne’s cross.

Source: Football360

A mother and her months-old baby were trampled to death by an elephant in south-eastern Zimbabwe.

The woman, who had been visiting relatives in rural Chipinge district on New Year’s Day, was on her way back home when an elephant charged at them.

Zimbabwe Parks Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo said the elephant suddenly attacked and killed the two on the spot. The elephant has since been killed.

Human-wildlife conflict is common in some rural parts of Zimbabwe.

Source: BBC

Liverpool’s assistant manager, Pepijn Lijnders, is the latest member of Jürgen Klopp’s staff to test positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation.

Lijnders, who has been in interim charge of the first team while Klopp isolates after a positive test, received the result late on Tuesday night.

The positive test result was received after Liverpool had requested the postponement of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal on Thursday on the grounds of player availability and an escalating COVID outbreak.

The EFL has yet to decide whether to grant Liverpool’s request for a postponement. The club has cancelled its scheduled pre-match press conference on Wednesday, which was due to be taken by Lijnders.

Source: The Guradian

By: Christian Conteh

Former independent presidential aspirant Essa Mbye Faal has called on Gambians to embrace national unity and reconciliation.

According to Faal irrespective of our political differences, people must be united with the goals of strengthening the unity and cohesion of the entire Gambian people and improving their living conditions and economic well-being.

He made this call through a new year’s message to fellow Gambians.

“With greater unity and patriotism, less corruption and more rule of law and good governance and a healthy dose of meritocracy, we would be able to achieve the development goals of our people.”

Faal noted that the country has just concluded what he described as ‘a very peaceful and orderly presidential election’ which significantly strengthened the Gambia’s democracy and reinforced the value of respect for and resort to the law as the arbiter of societal disputes.

The former Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission chairman congratulated all the candidates and by extension the entire people of The Gambia for their tolerance, patience, maturity and indulgence in ensuring that the process was enviable and admirable in many respects.

He however cautioned that ‘all is not well,’ pointing out that tribalism reared its ugly head during and after the electioneering period. This he added if not tamed, shackled and buried could upset the peace and democracy dividends the country currently enjoys.

He drew the attention of the Adama Barrow led administration to critical issues including the rise in prices of basic commodities, massive youth unemployment, lack of opportunities for the youth, women and other vulnerable groups as well as poor infrastructure and non-existent healthcare system which must be addressed.

“While this litany of imperatives may appear daunting, they are not insurmountable. We have unyielding faith in the ability of Gambians to achieve durable solutions to difficult problems even against the odds. The responsibility belongs to all of us (whether we are in government or not), to work arduously for the alleviation of the plight of our people.”

He urged the government of President Adama Barrow to honour its promise to the people and deliver on their wishes and aspirations.

The Gambian Government has set a target of D13.5 billion as revenue to be collected by the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2022, the Commissioner General’s Office has told pressmen. The new target is slightly higher than last years D12. 8 billion.

According to Yankuba Darboe, the institution’s Commissioner-General as of 30th December 2021, 95% of the 2021 revenue target had been met.

Speaking about reforms Darboe revealed that in the new year the Authority will seek to implement two major reforms which will be the transition from ASYCUDA ++ to ASYCUDA World and the transition from Gam tax net to ITAS tax net.

The Automated System for Customs Data otherwise known as ASYCUDA is a computerised system designed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva to administer a country’s customs.

ASYCUDA covers most foreign trade procedures and is used by over 90 countries worldwide. It takes into account the international codes and standards developed by ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation), WCO (World Customs Organization), and the United Nations.

It can be configured to suit the national characteristics of individual Customs regimes, National Tariff & legislation and provides Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between traders and Customs using prevailing standards.

Lucy Fye Jagne is the board chairperson of the GRA, she expressed her appreciation of the Authorities performance over the years, describing it as outstanding.

She used the opportunity to commend the management of GRA and staff for their excellent commitment and hard work in making sure GRA collects the much-needed tax for the government.