By Fatou Krubally
The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched a week-long assessment of its Post Clearance Audit (PCA) system with support from the World Customs Organization (WCO).
This is part of efforts geared towards strengthening customs compliance, facilitate trade and protect government revenue.
The assessment, which began on Monday at the Senegambia Beach Hotel, seeks to evaluate The Gambia’s current customs audit framework, identify operational gaps and recommend measures to align the country’s post-clearance audit system with international standards.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe described post-clearance audit as a key component of modern customs administration, noting that customs authorities globally are increasingly required to balance revenue mobilisation with trade facilitation and effective compliance management.
He said The Gambia has recorded significant progress in customs modernisation through the introduction of digital systems and reforms aimed at improving efficiency and transparency at border points.
Darboe cited the implementation of ASYCUDA World, the National Single Window platform, electronic cargo tracking and other digital customs solutions as measures that have helped reduce cargo clearance times, strengthen border controls and improve revenue collection.
He disclosed that monthly customs collections now regularly exceed one billion dalasis, describing the achievement as evidence that trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation can be pursued simultaneously.
However, he stressed that customs modernisation remained an ongoing process and called for stronger post-clearance controls as operations become increasingly automated.
“The assessment will help us identify areas for improvement and provide a roadmap for building a more professional and intelligence-driven audit function,” Darboe said.
Deputy Commissioner for Customs Enforcement Yusupha Cham described the Post Clearance Audit Unit as one of GRA’s most successful reform initiatives, saying it has grown significantly since its revival with support from technical partners and the authority’s management.
Cham commended audit officers for their professionalism and encouraged participants to maximize the opportunity by sharing knowledge and lessons learned across the institution.
Meanwhile, WCO Lead Technical Expert Arman Zhalitov praised GRA’s commitment to international customs standards and acknowledged the authority’s cooperation with the organization on various reform programs over the past five years.
He said the diagnostic mission would assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current PCA framework and support the development of practical improvement plans by GRA officials.
The exercise, supported by the WCO and funded through the United Kingdom’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), is expected to conclude with recommendations aimed at improving post-clearance audit operations, strengthening compliance management and advancing The Gambia’s customs modernization agenda.