Monrovia – The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on Friday January 26, 2018 joined the world over to celebrate International World Customs Day.
The celebration was a global event intended to recognize the role of customs officials and agencies in maintaining border security with a focus on the working conditions and challenges facing customs officers in their respective lines of duties.
LRA Commissioner General Elfrieda Stewart Tamba, speaking during the celebration at the Monrovia City Hall, disclosed that the transformation of customs operations to a modern state remains a core vison of the Authority.
She said LRA envisages ensuring a modern and standardized customs operations with the aim to enhance trade facilitation and revenue collection.
“Our vision is to have a transformed and a modern customs with stronger integrity more fully automated in adherence to international customs including regulatory and service performance standards,” CG Tamba asserted.
CG Tamba said the integration of technology in customs operations is very essential to ensuring an increase revenue collection.
She said there are several earmarked transformational projects underway including the upgrading to a new version of the Automated System for customs Data (ASYCUDA).
The LRA Commissioner General noted that the web-based system will be assessable via the Internet and is expected to get customers graduate from calling for declaration to using paperless technology to declare their goods.
She emphasized that customs officers and brokers have a national responsibility to ensure that trade across the national border legal and that goods leaving and coming in the country’s customs territories, through the international supply chains, are lawful and safe.
CG Tamba called on all stakeholders including government and international partners to render the LRA the needed support that will enhance the modern technology needed nowadays at Customs in ensuring transparency and integrity in carrying out cross-border businesses.
Delivering the keynoted address at this year’s celebration of International Customs Day, Liberian businessman Amin Modad praised the LRA for leading the change in promoting the collection of lawful revenue.
“If you understand just how much the functioning of the Liberian Government depends on customs receipts, you will join me in recognizing that the LRA has become an example to follow,” Mr. Modad declared.
He described the role of customs officers and brokers as very vital to the development and sustainability of the Liberian economy.
The celebration which was under the theme “A secure business environment for economic development” brought together LRA customs and officers of other Liberian paramilitary apparatus connected with revenue collection.