By Abdul M. Jalloh
In a jam-packed Hall Meeting in Bombali District, attended by Petty Traders, shop owners, CSOs, the media, security personnel (Police and Soldiers), nurses and teachers, on the 4th July 2024, traders in that part of the country firmly committed to comply with tax payments for national Development.
The stakeholders’ engagement was done in partnership with the National Revenue Authority (NRA) endorsed by the Civil Society Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery, an Organization that has been in existence since November 2016 after a National Conference on Community Engagement and Accountability held earlier in August 2016.
The one-day engagement meeting was on the implementation of the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), the Electronic Cash Transfer (ECR) and the importance of taxation on the Economy.
In an exclusive interview with this medium, Secretary General of the Bombali Traders Union, Mohamed Kamara expressed appreciation for the tax sensitization the NRA has brought to the traders
Mr. Kamara furthered that through the meeting, he and all attendees have learned that, it’s through taxation that they pay Police, soldiers and support other Institutions.
He ended up by affirming their compliance to the payment of taxes and strongly called on traders to comply and not to dodge the payment of taxes. He also called on government to make good use of the monies paid to impact the lives of citizens for a better Sierra Leone.
Madam Jariatu Sheriff, a petty trader at the Makeni Lorry Park selling local produce said she is happy with the knowledge she has received and made commitment to comply and express optimism for more engagement with the NRA.
She said they experience heavy burden on increase tax payments as they pay tax from the local communities they buy the goods and also at the Makeni Lorry Park Revenue Collectors, but however, the payment of tax gives them more rights. She has also learned the differences involved in payment of tax based on the type and amount of money generated from the businesses.
She concluded by calling on traders to comply with tax payment and always be law abiding as such monies would be used to build schools, hospitals and other basic amenities.
The Chairman for the CSO Consortium on Service Delivery, Mr. Williams Sao Lamin disclosed that tax compliance education is to encourage people to pay taxes like Local Tax, GST, ECR and other taxes which people are supposed to pay but most often they refuse to pay their taxes.
He said such taxes paid would enable Government to respond to the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The engagement also looked at the importance of “Receipts”, hence, traders should make receipts for their business places when buyers come to buy goods also urging members of the public to do the same.
Sao Lamin emphasized that non-payment of taxes would lead to serious vulnerability of the Government to depend on donor Funding.
“We sometimes blame President Bio and other former Presidents for making several overseas travels but it’s because of our failure to pay taxes. Even in the hall today, out of the oven 100 participants, just few admitted of paying local tax. There is the need for more tax Education and people need to know their rights and responsibilities in the tax payments process,” Chairman Lamin stated.
The Chairman also called on NRA to encourage people to pay rather than using harsh ways or taking people to courts.
Alhaji Musa Conteh, Director for the Center for Community Education Network and Development, who also doubles as the Secretary General for Bombali District Human Rights Committee, described the session as interactive.
He reiterated that traders should have receipts in their business Places and buyers should request for receipts when they buy goods.
Director Conteh ended by urging Bombali residents especially traders to comply with tax payments as that would give them more confidence to hold government accountable.