By Abdulai Sankoh
In a strategic move to strengthen national revenue systems, three prominent institutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at improving revenue mobilisation, transparency, and financial efficiency.
The agreement signed among the National Revenue Authority, National Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and Sierra Leone Maritime Administration outlines a collaborative framework for sharing data, improving tax compliance, and deploying digital tools for revenue tracking and enforcement.
Giving an overview about the MoU, the Deputy Director General of NPRA, Alfred M. Kobba said the MoU is a tripartite arrangement to support and strengthen revenue mobilisation in Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director General of NPRA, Brima Baluwa Koroma, emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in curbing revenue leakages and broad tax base. He stressed the need for institutions to look into their mandates.
“This partnership marks a significant step forward in aligning our national efforts to ensure sustainable economic development through effective revenue collection,” he stated.
The Director of Internal Audit at Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Hassan Lahai described the gathering as timely, more so when the three institutions are key in maximising revenue mobilisation in the country. ‘’We have been having trouble with oil companies over the years, especially on accurate declaration, through collaboration with other institutions, we have been able to address such challenges,’’ he stated.
The Commissioner General of NRA, Madam Jeneba Bangura, appreciated the other institutions for the collaboration in ensuring revenue mobilisation is key. She urged the other institutions to focus on the implementation of the MoU instead of putting it on the shelves.
“Before this singing of this MoU, NRA has been closing working with the NPRA and the SLMA because we believe in institutional collaboration.” She stated.
Under the MoU, the institutions will share initiatives, including capacity building, data integration, and public education campaigns.
Officials from the NRA hailed the agreement as a transformative step, noting that improved data sharing and coordinated enforcement will lead to better service delivery and fiscal stability.
This tripartite MoU is expected to lay the groundwork for future policies aimed at strengthening public finance management and achieving long-term economic resilience.
