Monrovia – The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Developmental Planning (MFDP), the Ministry of Internal Affair (MIA) and have begun a two-day dialogue on domestic resources mobilization.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]
The dialogue supported by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) seeks to address the many challenges the LRA is faced with in revenue collection and mobilization.
Speaking at the start of the dialogue on Thursday at the Monrovia City Hall, the Commissioner General of LRA lfreda Tamba, said the collection of domestic revenue for the developmental initiatives of Liberia rests on the shoulders of all Liberians, adding that it should not be left with the LRA alone.
“Revenue generation will ensure the provision of better services to the citizens of our country and this is why it needs the effort of all of us,” said the LRA boss Tamba.
She added: “The reason why we are here today is to discuss how we can together grow domestic revenue and how can the LRA serves the people of Liberia better for the growth and development.
“Given the population size with respect to taxpayers, both businesses and individuals, Montserrado is significant for this conference.
LRA and MFDP will listen to inputs and further improve on its revenue mobilization and will craft a domestic resources mobilization strategy for Liberia,” Madam Tamba said.
Country Representative of UNDP Cleophas Torori, praised the Liberian government for steps taken towards the mobilization of domestic revenue, something he said was urgent towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Liberia is making significant progress in the generation of local revenue,” he said.
The UNDP Country Representative said: “One of this major steps so far is by working through the various service centers across the country, which has to some extent ensure convenient services”.
He then pledged UNDP’s continuous commitment to working with the LRA in a bid to ensure that local resources mobilization is further boosted.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Robert Tubman, lauded the UNDP for the level of support to the LRA.
He said that as tax administrators, the LRA aim is to ensure that the government raises the needed revenue needed by the government for national development.
“Liberia is an aid dependent country; funding development is a major challenge in achieving the world we want,” he said.
He added: “Our gathering here today is part of the process along the pathway to a national strategy on domestic revenues realization”.
According to him, the process in mobilizing national revenues must be inclusive.
“Your views on revenues potential and sectors opportunity are essential to help Liberia as a nation in determining the path to unlock Liberia development funding.
It is my hope that we get the best recommendation from this gathering,” he told participants at the workshop.
The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Boima Kamara, said the dialogue was also aimed at taking power to the people.
Minister Kamara also noted that domestic resources mobilization was an essential component of a sustainable development anywhere around the world.
“Enhancing domestic resources mobilization in Liberia is not necessary but rather it is imperative. There has to be greater reliance on domestic resources,” he said.
Min. Kamara: “The partners will help us in terms of complementing our effort toward our own development; we as officials, we as the people have to ensure that lawful taxes are collected and the contract is when you pay your taxes you hold the government to ensure the proper utilization of your taxes”.
The Montserrado Dialogue is the fourth, after three previous regional dialogues held in Tubmanburg (for Gbarpolu, Cape Mount and Bomi Counties), in Buchannan City (for Grand Bassa Sinoe and Rivercess Counties) and in Gbarnga City for Lofa, Bong and Nimba Counties.
The Montserrado dialogue, like the previous ones, is expected to raise much-needed awareness on citizen’s national responsibility and the need to widen the revenue base and expand the fiscal space of the country. Discussions at the dialogue will solicit suggestions, comments and recommendations from participants which will inform the structure and organization of the national revenue summit.
Participants will discuss Revenue Expansion Strategy and Sectoral Opportunities. The strategy is to Improve Real Estate Taxes and the Role of Municipalities.
Strategies to enhance trade facilitation and customs revenue, as well as Potential Services Required to Encourage Compliance and Bolster Taxpayer’s Confidence.
The event brought together a mixture of stakeholders including the business community, traditional leaders and chiefs, local county authorities, the religious community, concessionaires, among several others.
Accordingly, the regional dialogues are aimed at providing the opportunity to initiate discourse with various stakeholders, partners, and taxpayers on Liberia’s domestic resource mobilization strategy, and to raise awareness on the need to widen the revenue base and fiscal space.