By Nasratu Kargbo
The Chairman and members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament have decided to garnish the accounts of more than twenty businesses for Goods and Services Tax (GST) they owe the National Revenue Authority (NRA) totalling three billion four hundred million old Leones (3,400,000,000).
The MPs took this decision on the 12th August 2024 after representatives from these business institutions did not honour the committee’s summons.
Acting Chairman of the committee, Aaron Aruna Koroma said: “We wanted to be very responsive as a committee to make sure we give a fair opportunity for taxpayers to come and verify whatever findings the auditors have raised on their institutions. The auditors and NRA are here, that’s the best we could do for them. We will give garnishment notice to the respective banks so that they can defray the cost of whatever tax liability they owe” he explained.
Koroma added that if these businesses have any clarification, they will go to the NRA or the committee to do so.
Giving background on the issue of GST tax, the Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Tawa Conteh explained that on the 3rd July 2024 they met with taxpayers and were given a ten day ultimatum to pay their GST, noting that they had even exceeded the deadline, therefore they expected the taxpayers to return with explanation and documentation to substantiate their claims or justify the credit they’re claiming.
He said the reason they create such a platform is to ensure that a taxpayer is not wrongfully flagged for payment, credit or liabilities that they may not be owing NRA or may have paid but is still showing outstanding in the system, stressing that they want to create a fair platform for both NRA and business owners.
Whilst emphasising the ruling, the Acting Chairman instructed the Acting Commissioner of National Revenue Authority (NRA) Salia Konneh to ensure that he does a blanket letter and a garnish request to the banks on updates.
He said: “I think we are looking for 3.4 billion Leones for those that did not show up, so let us send a request to the banks with the names and we put a definite timeline and indicate that when we receive the update from the bank, we ensure that the debit that is done is transferred to the NRA GST arrears account” he explained.
He added that they should take full stock of it before it is sent to the Consolidated Fund for proper accountability.
The total number of businesses that were invited was forty-one and amongst those that did not show up were Miro Forestry SL Ltd, Da Flor Zinc, F. Soufan and Sons, Sesay Kahota, Amafodiate Enterprise and others.
All those who honoured the call of parliament and NRA but had arrears to pay or sort out some documentation issues were given an ultimatum of forty-eight hours to ensure they settle their payments and bring the evidence of receipt to PAC secretariat.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (16/08/24)
