By Mustapha Kamara Jr
To educate tax payers on key provisions in the new Financial Act 2105, the National Revenue Authority (NRA) has held a one-day sensitisation engagement with tax payers and stakeholders in the sector within the Western Rural District.
NRA’s Cooperate Affairs Manager, Mohamed Bangura, said the purpose of the meeting was to inform business people and tax payers about amendments made and new policies that were being initiated in the 2014 Financial Act.
Bangura to Politico the Authority had successfully completed similar engagement with business people, stake holders and tax payers in Bo, Makeni, Kono, Kenema and in other districts across the country.
The NRA thought it fit to popularise the 2015 Finance Act so that citizens would be aware of the new changes made by the Ministry of Finance in the Act, he said.
During the engagement, the authority tax payers were informed about new changes made by government on tariff for imported goods, customs, exercise, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), withholding tax, rates, as well as charges which are to be made by the National Minerals Agency.
In the new Financial Act, government has drastically reduced the rate on tax and other charges levelled on tax payers and other business people. The Act also seeks to address issues relating to salaries and benefits of civil servants and private sector workers, said Bangura.
“It is a welfare kind of tax that will enable all Sierra Leoneans to improve and live a better life.”
Even though the changes were not made as a result of the Ebola Outbreak, Bangura noted, the new changes will address the financial shock that business people have suffered during the course of the epidemic.
At the meeting held last week at the Miatta Conference Hall, Brookfields in Freetown, importers raised issues affecting them at customs and exercise department, while other tax payers advocated for review of some taxes levelled on them. They said government should reduce more on rates and taxes so as to encourage more businesses to thrive in the country.
(C) Politico 01/07/15
