Monrovia – The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on Saturday, July 1, 2017 held an elaborate program to honor and certificate 33 companies, local businesses, institutions and individuals for being tax compliant and major contributors to the country’s revenue collection.
The event was the first-ever Taxpayer Appreciation Day in the country under the regime of the LRA, which commenced operations on July 1, 2014. The event was intended to recognize and appreciate taxpayers based on two underlining considerations: tax contribution and tax compliance.
The 33 awardees including LoneStar Cell MTN, Orange Liberia, and Monrovia Club Breweries were awarded the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes while Passion Hotel in Bong County, Jungle Water Group of Companies of Nimba, among others, received awards under the two core business areas of Domestic Tax and Customs.
The awards, given in the subcategories of Large Tax, Medium Tax, Small Tax, Petty Trader, Real Property, and highest taxpayers for counties, covered tax payment records of the Fiscal Year 2015-2016.
The awardees also received a one year tax clearance certificates as complementary prizes in addition to impressive plaque-certificates.
Speaking at the program, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai called on Liberians, businesses and institutions to foster the idea and a mindset of paying taxes with the aim to promote development and encourage a sense of civic responsibility.
The Liberian Vice President said it was important that all Liberians cultivate the culture of lawful tax payment as a means of seeking greater and accelerated development programs and a positive advancement of the country.
He praised the awardees for leading the process of tax compliance and encouraged others to follow suit.
Also speaking, LRA Commissioner General Elfreda Stewart Tamba thanked the awardees for their contributions to domestic resource mobilization which has helped in initiating vital projects and programs in enhancing national development.
CG Tamba stressed that the collection of lawful revenue provides the Government of Liberia an advantage to undertake and implement developmental projects for the betterment of the country and its citizens.
The Taxpayer Appreciation Day was held under the theme: “Creating A Culture of Voluntary Tax Compliance” and was held in collaboration with USAID RG3 Project and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
The program also witnessed the launches of LRA Cooperate Social Responsibility through an MOU with the Blind School and the Taxpayer Advocate Service.