Lawmaker Calls for Celebration on Revenue Collected By NRA
Hon. Alimamy Kamara of the ruling All Peoples Congress party, yesterday called his colleague Parliamentarians and Sierra Leoneans at large to celebrate for what the NRA, especially the GST has been doing in recent times, with specific reference to revenue collection. (Photo: Haja Kallah Kamara of the NRA )
He made this call whilst making his contribution to the ongoing debate on the President’s speech, delivered on the 8th of September, during the state opening of Parliament. Making his statement recently in Parliament, President Ernest Bai Koroma stated among other things, that Sierra Leone is increasing its revenues by broadening the tax base, and this he said is happening through the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, ‘and tackling tax evasion and avoidance through the introduction of the Automated System of Custom Data (ASYCUDA), and tax payer identification numbers…’
Comment on this statement in Parliament yesterday, Hon Alimamy Kamara of Bombali said, internal revenue mobilization is key to national development. According to the APC Member of Parliament, the introduction of the Automated System for Customs Data by NRA is one of several ways of addressing revenue leakages and that NRA will, through the ASYCUDA system, continue to facilitate trade, collect revenue on and put under control revenue leakages.
The erudite Member of Parliament also spoke that there is confidence among Sierra Lone on the management of the economy. He stated that donor partners like DFID, World Bank and European Union are all around because of the way our national economy is being managed.
Speaking earlier on Tuesday, another Member of Parliament Hon. Coleson Turay commended the NRA for its Modernization Plan, which takes into account the introduction of the GST. He highlighted that there has been an increase in the revenue collection effort by the NRA. With GST, he said, more revenues could be collected.
The President, during the State Opening of Parliament spoke, that in the first half of 2010, GST collections amounted to Le98.5 billion, far in excess of the amount collected for the whole of 2009 from the previous seven taxes replaced by the GST.’… Our reforms in the tax collection system have enabled the Government to increase Sierra Leone’s revenue collection effort to 11.7% of GDP in 2009 and it is expected to reach 13% this year….’
During the first allotted day of debate, Hon Mohamed Banya Kailondo among other things spoke of the need to support the President to achieve his goals and that people should be patriotic and accept good things. He revealed that Kailahun is now seeing signs of hope.
Hon Sofian Kargbo on his part said with the determination of Sierra Leoneans, ‘we can make it…’ and referred to agriculture as the engine of national development. ‘President Koroma’, he said ‘is moving agriculture forward…’ According to him, the massive transformative achievements of President Koroma are worthy of praise. So far contributions have come from all shades of the political divide-APC, SLPP and PMDC, which Hon Dr. Bernadette Lahia yesterday cataloguing what was achieved during the period of President Kabba. The debate continues this morning.
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