A dedicated, committed and service-tested customs officer has been handsomely rewarded with a resounding promotion to the position of Commissioner of Customs at the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA).
The newly promoted Commissioner of Customs Alhagie K. Mbye, whose heart and mind shuttles to cloud nine following the promotion, elatedly thanked the GRA management for elevating him from the position of Commissioner of Operations to the new endorsement, saying he would continue to put his heart and soul into his work to serve his country and people.
Appreciating his colleagues and senior commissioners for their professional cooperation and intra-personal working relationship over the years, Mr Mbye said as commissioner of operations he enjoyed working with all. He also appreciated GRA Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe for the promotion and for his sound leadership role at GRA.
Commenting on the promotion, GRA's Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe congratulated and welcomed Mr Mbye to the new position of commissioner of customs.
He equally commended the retired former commissioner of customs Ismaila Jallow for his remarkable tenure in office.
"This is a new challenge for Mr Mbye that lies ahead of him. But what is more important is Mr Mbye's endeavour to working with all his staff, with team spirit, hard work and dedication to ensure that the Authority achieves its dream," CG Darboe said.
He says GRA believes in team spirit, hard work, dedication and perseverance.
Mr Darboe further reminded his staff of the challenges ahead of them in ensuring that GRA achieves its annual revenue target. Achieving that target could only be done as a result of team work and commitment to their various duties, he added.
He expressed firm commitment to giving Mr Mbye all the necessary support to deliver to the expectations of the Authority.
He also called on all junior staff of GRA to be cooperative and work hand on deck with the rest of the staff in order to achieve the Authority's goal.
He seized the opportunity to thank the GRA Board and Management for providing the environment conducive for the staff to deliver to expectations. He reiterated that GRA would continue to collect the much needed revenue for Government.
Brief profile of the new Commissioner of Customs
Mr Alhagie K. Mbye hails from Farrafenni town in the North Bank Region of The Gambia, where he received primary education from 1978 to 1983. After sitting and passing to the then "Common Entrance" exams in 1983, he proceeded to Muslim High School in Banjul, where he successfully sat to the 'O' Level exams. He later got appointed to serve in the Customs Department, and has since acquired a wealth of knowledge during a combined period of 33 years to Customs and Gambia Revenue Authority.
Mr Mbye further obtained a bachelor's degree (Hons) in Public Administration from the University of The Gambia from 2014 to 2018.
Continuing his studies, he also attained a Master of Science (MSc) in the same field from the University of The Gambia in 2021.
Commissioner Mbye has served in various capacities and postings in his Customs career, including the seaport, airport, land borders, warehouse, technical support units among others. This wealth of experience has earned him a mastery of Customs and Customs operations, as well as respect within and outside the GRA.
Mr Mbye's recognition as a Customs expert extends beyond the shores of The Gambia. It is for this reason that he holds various positions in the international Customs environment. He currently serves as the lead person of The Gambia's accession to the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention. He is also national coordinator for the WCO's CLICK Platform, focal person for non-tariff barriers under the auspices of the ECOWAS Commission, and focal person for Coordinated Border Management under His Majesty Revenue and Customs, UK.
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By virtue of his tenacity, rigour and commitment to Customs modernization, Mr Mbye was trusted and supported by Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe to spearhead numerous Customs reforms projects in the Gambia Revenue Authority, including the migration to the Harmonized System Nomenclature 2022, migration to ASYCUDA World, adoption of the automated transit (SIGMAT), and cargo tracking system.
Mr Mbye's commitment to national development with his true Pan-Africanist personality is manifested by the numerous accolades awarded to him by civil society organisations and national and international student associations Patriotic Personality of the Year 2019 by the LEED AFRICA ADVOCACY.
