IPNEWS: A delegation from the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA)   Customs Department has arrived in Liberia on a study tour at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).

The two-week visit will enable the team to gain deep knowledge and understanding of the system, activities, and procedures of the LRA Customs Department Post Clearance auditing processes.

They will study the LRA’s compliance and enforcement measures, anti-smuggling and post-clearance audit approaches, audit planning, audit soft skills, and data-matching among others.

Speaking Monday at a welcoming ceremony, LRA Customs Commissioner Saa Saamoi, described the GRA team’s visit to the LRA as a ‘mark of strengthening collaboration among revenue authorities in the sub-region’, especially among English-speaking countries.

He called for the continuation of such engagements among revenue authorities aimed at finding common solutions to issues of common interests, and assured LRA’s commitment of in providing such technical assistance to the GRA and other revenue authorities.

“Post clearance audit in this modern era,” Saamoi noted, “is more of a trade facilitation and a compliance tool as it plays a critical role in trade acceleration and timeliness.”

In remarks, the GRA Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Semi Sise, thanked the LRA Management for accepting the request of the GRA to study its post clearance audit system.

He noted that such venture was keen in promoting the knowledge-sharing, skills, experiences, and success stories among revenue authorities to ensure improvements in capacity development.

“This initiative is a manifestation of strengthening regional ties and building capacity of sister institutions,” the GRA official said.

He disclosed that the selection of the LRA is based on the outstanding performance of its post clearance audit as it is seen as one of the best in the sub-region.