The Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), Hon. Yankuba Darboe, has explained that the GRA has eight departments and that positions in these departments are advertised if vacancies exist.
Responding to a listener’s question about the GRA jobs during an interview with Coffee Time With Peter Gomez on Monday, CG Darboe explained: “Let me say this Peter, the employment at GRA is put into categories. You have the commissioner general position, which is appointed by His Excellency the president just like he appoints the ministers. So, there is no advertisement on that. The position of deputy and head of domestic taxes are positions when they get vacant, they can be advertised. And it is the board that will sit on it and the advertisement and the interviews and finally do the recommendation to the ministry of finance for the minister’s endorsement.
“Now, in GRA, we have eight departments. Each of this department, their position whenever there is a vacancy, we have to advertise it, we do advertise it and it’s a board appointment. The board sub-committee, staff and establishment committee have to do the short-listing, the interview and take it up to the main board for the final appointment and then a letter is written to the ministry of finance for the minister to..”
The commissioner general pointed out that certain roles at the Authority are so subordinate that he is vested with the powers alongside his management to appoint people in such roles.
“Yes, we do advertise,” CG Darboe reiterated when asked by host Peter Gomez as to whether the GRA advertises positions as enquired by the listener.
“I know where the person is coming from. It’s the junior staff like the cleaners, the cadets, guards and tax clerks. Those are junior, junior ranks such that the commissioner general is given the power and his management to appoint them. In essence, the major, higher positions are all advertised. We don’t just take but we advertise, people apply, we shortlist and then finally, the best candidates are put on board,” CG Darboe explained.
He quickly added: “But again, we have another form of appointment, which is called head-hunting and I feel it is very important. There are certain key positions also, you look for the best brain and we bring them on. They go through interviews but we have to search for them.”
