By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery in partnership with National Revenue Authority (NRA) holds a stakeholder engagement on Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection.

The engagement happened on Tuesday 24, 2024 at the Boston Church on Charles Street in Freetown.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Chairman, William Soa-Lamin, emphasized on the significant of paying into Electronic Cash Register (ECR), adding businessmen must comply with the particular law despite the economic challenges still grip the country at the moment.

He noted that the government can only generate money through tax collections especially through GSTs and customs.

And so they must obey by demanding ECR receipts for any payment or transaction done.

“We are delighted for the great turnout, the trust between NRA and CSOs started long ago irrespective of the endless encounters faced by government.

“Since 2010 to date, we have got lots of corporations.”

The CSOs say the campaign on revenue mobilization will continue in all 16 the districts across the country.

“Revenue mobilization is the bedrock of a nation building,” Mr Lamin said.

Matilda Zainab Kamara, Manager, Taxpayers Service at Domestic Tax Department, said business owners should comply and be willing to pay taxes on time in spite of their deep problems regarding timely payments of the GST taxes.

She noted that monthly payment of GST taxes must be properly done at least to avoid unintended problems.

Normally, she said, some customers would undermine the effort of government over the years.

“Sierra Leone government is using taxpayers’ monies to pay teachers, the army officers, doctors and those in other sectors.”

“We believe in our business tycoons for revenue collections in a bid to develop our nation.”

A Five Hundred thousand Leones threshold, according 2024 GST Act, is set to be paid by business owners.

And that depends on a shop or the business’ output.

The minimal threshold is tied on businesses, at least, to encourage small business enterprises in the country to operate,” she explains further.

In a related development, the Global Coordinator of the Consortium on Community on Accountability and Service Delivery ( CCASD), Moses Mamabu, said GTS tax payment is an obligatory criterion by every business owners.

He adding that domestic revenue is key for developing a country, and Sierra Leone, he said, is not an expectation.

He said government programs would only move successfully through the help of domestic tax payments.

The CCASD said their campaign is to educate all citizens on the impact of tax payments to resolve the development issues in the country.

“The inaugural landmark program in Freetown is just the preliminary phase of our determination.

“With the support of businessman, customers and the general public and corporate bodies, things will be better.”

“Sierra Leone belongs to all of us. Payment of taxes is the right approach for all citizens regardless of a business owner’s political network,” he said.

Mr. Mohamed Kamara, a businessman in Freetown, said NRA must up their game in terms of service delivery and accountability. He noted that monthly payment of GST taxes into the bank is highly puzzling and tough.

“The bank is always frustrating our effort during payments; the banking system always faces poor system.

Moreover, staff of NRA should also improve on their standards in relation to their service delivery,” he advised.