Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mr. Gaye TheVoice
Published on 2024-02-23 00:02:00
In 2023, the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) issued over 100,000 ECOWAS ID cards, with the Officer-in-Charge of Finance, Karanlang Jarju, revealing that a total of 115,587 cards were issued. Additionally, 53,900 residence permits and 5,075 entry visas were issued during the same period. Jarju also mentioned that 754 individuals were granted extended stays in the country, and 184 emergency travel certificates were issued.
Following a contract between the government of The Gambia and SEMLEX (Gambia) for the production of ECOWAS biometric ID cards, residence permits, non-Gambian ID cards, and alien cards, the First International Bank (now VISTA Bank) has been instructed to handle the revenue-sharing between the government of The Gambia and SEMLEX (Gambia) Ltd.
Jarju proudly announced that the GID exceeded its revenue target for the year 2023, generating a total revenue of D212,454,000.00, surpassing the projected revenue of D150,000,000.00. This achievement was attributed to the increase in persons accessing immigration services, effective financial monitoring, blocking of revenue leakages, enforcement activities, and the introduction of new fees during the first quarter of the year.
The gross revenue collection for 2023 compared to 2022 was D104,407,130.00, resulting in a positive variance of 103.49%. The majority of the revenue was generated from Machine-Readable Passport (MRP), ECOWAS residence permit B, and biometric passport services. The GID issued 53,900 permits to non-Gambians, representing a 13.61% increase from the previous year.
Overall, the Gambia Immigration Department experienced significant growth in revenue and issuance of ID cards, residence permits, and other immigration-related services in 2023. The efficient management of financial processes, revenue collection, and enforcement activities contributed to the department’s success in exceeding its revenue target for the year. Additionally, partnerships with SEMLEX (Gambia) and VISTA Bank have facilitated the production and revenue-sharing processes, ensuring the smooth operation of immigration services in The Gambia.
Read the original article on The Voice Gambia
