NRA launches GST receipt lottery
The debut draw of the much publicized GST Receipt Raffle draw was on Saturday 23rd March held at the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) studios and New England Ville in Freetown. This raffle draw is part of the strategy in popularizing the GST tax regime while encouraging the receipt taking culture in Sierra Leone something which is hugely lacking. Demanding receipts for any purchase transaction made will enable the NRA to monitor sales made by GST registered businesses and for which correct GST receipts was issued and also makes possible such businesses  making the correct returns. It is by the consistent issuing of receipts and it consequent impact on returns that the GST can best be said to be successful thus the lottery is part of encouraging citizens and sensitizing them to this end. (Photo: Haja Kalla Kamara, Acting Commissioner General)
Present at the draw were Madam Hajah Kalla Kamara acting Commissioner General of NRA, Mr. Alfred Akibo Betts Asst. Commissioner for GST, Mr. Abdulai Conteh – Director of Finance, John H. Mosseray – Officer in charge of Non Tax Revenue, Hassan Omolaja principal collector GST and Brima Karl Samura Assistant public affairs Taxpayers Education unit. Introducing the draw, Mr. Hassan Omolaja stated that the idea of the Lottery was conceived by the Acting Commissioner General and that bit is wonderful that finally the first draw has come into fruition. Giving his comment Alfred Akibo Betts, assistant Commissioner of the GST stated that the day is significant because the raffle is coming for the first time and when people ask for their receipt, it is the only way they ensuring that government gets the necessary funds for development.
In the same vein, Haja Kalla Kamara acting Commissioner General stated that she supports the president’s agenda for change especially in the area of accountability, transparency and development generally. She also noted that many people are not use to asking for receipt and that it is the only way GST can be collected. She went further to say that invoicing and receipt taking will mark a tremendous turn around in revenue collection. She thanked those who have been complying in their tax obligation while encouraging those who have been failing to do so before the law one day catches up with them. She said the GST is many countries and that such countries have had marked improvement. She also called on citizens to help the NRA by informing the office of businesses that fail in issuing the correct GST receipts.
Ten people were lucky to be the first winners of the GST receipt raffle draw. The amount at stake was twenty five million Leones which was divided into four categories. Six people as runners up take one million each, a third price which go to two people with two million Leones each, a second prize of five million and the star prize for the month which is ten million Leones each. The following people were the luck winners:
Brima Kamara of 7 Big Waterloo Street who won one million Leones, Jeneba Kargbo 107 Regent Road Lumeley- one million Leones, Brima Kamara again – One million Leones, Francess Jones 112 Regent Road Lumely – one million, Yvonne I Sankoh – 17 Kingharman Road Brook Fields – one million Leones, Francess Jones – One Million Leones, Tamba Kargbo 107 Regent Road Lumely two million Leones, Luana Benduwa 82 Off Lumely Road two million Leones, Alfred Buckle 6 Kenex Drive, Regent Village five million Leones and Francess Jones 112 Regent Rd, Lumley ten million Leones.Theses Lucky people will receive their prizes on Tuesday 30th March 2010. The next draw holds the last Saturday of April.
Karl Samura, FreetownStay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
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