Monrovia- The Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Thomas Doe Nah has held his first face-to-face engagement with scores of business stakeholders, meanly from the large taxpayer category, a press statement from the LRA said at the weekend.
Large taxpayers are businesses or corporations that have annual turnover of L$30m and above.
The Commissioner General said his engagement with the large taxpayers in Monrovia is about engendering a new way of transacting with the business sector in a people-centered manner to boost tax compliance.
The country’s chief Tax Collector says the approach of meeting the taxpayers and engaging them in discussions is fundamental to creating a more customer-friendly economic environment for revenue collection.
“We intend to reshape our customer relations, but will remain firmed on the implementation of the revenue laws,” CG Nah stated Friday, September 21, 2018 during the engagement held at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce on Capitol Hill.
The LRA Commissioner General urged taxpayers to find the appropriate means of settling tax obligations and related issues and avoid bypassing procedures in a dishonest way which he described as very unfair and unacceptable.
A cross-section of tax payers in Liberia at the meeting with the LRA boss
“If you have problems, let us know so we can discuss them; but, don’t try to do the wrong things because if we catch you, we will not compromise,” CG Nah strongly asserted.
The Commissioner General intimated that the focus of his engagement is more about collaborating and partnering with the business community, key state actors including the National Investment Commission and the Ministry of Commerce, among others, in addressing challenges comforting the business sector through a harmonize approach in order to stimulate economy growth, thereby upping the tax net.
“I am keen on working with other state actors to develop a comprehensive triangular approach of providing a more suitable way to improve our business climate and enhance revenue collection,” he told his audience.
Encouraging taxpayers to make use of the modernized and integrated technologies put in place by the LRA to enhance tax payments, CG Nah further urged taxpayers to report issues that affect tax payment to the LRA so as to drive a way forward in formulating requisite measures and policies to address them.
“Feedback is the key to the transformation of everything, so we will need you to give us feedback that will help us institute essential measures,” CG Nah noted.
Speaking earlier, the first Vice President of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, Assad A. Barber, lauded the LRA Commissioner General for initiating the engagement, describing it as a welcoming undertaking.
He called on the LRA to do more consultations with the business community and taxpayers before the introduction of reforms and enforcement of new measures.
The acquaintance gathering was intended to discuss relevant means of enhancing tax payment and improve relationship with the business community. It also highlighted views about challenges facing taxpayers.
Key topics including real estate property tax payment, customs obligations and procedures, e-Filling were also discussed.