WATAF Delegation Meets with Finance Minister as Freetown Gears Up for Regional Tax Conference

A delegation from the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) paid a courtesy call on Sierra Leone’s Finance Minister, Ahmed Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, as the country prepares to host the annual regional tax conference in Freetown from September 15th to 19th.

Introducing her colleagues from the Forum, Jeneba Bangura expressed gratitude to the Minister for the warm reception and highlighted WATAF’s role in strengthening tax administration to enhance public service delivery and support the development of West African nations.

Executive Director of WATAF, Jules Tapsoba, emphasized the significance of hosting the AGM in Sierra Leone for the first time, noting the Forum’s readiness to learn from Sierra Leone’s progress and reforms. He further underscored the importance of tax administration in financing local development in the context of current global economic challenges.

WATAF Chairperson and Director General of the Burkina Faso Revenue Authority, Madam Elaine Djigueemde-Ouedraogo, also extended appreciation to the government of Sierra Leone and the National Revenue Authority (NRA) for their efforts in planning the meeting.

In his remarks, Minister Bangura reaffirmed that the NRA is a strong arm of the Ministry of Finance and stressed that the role of tax administration in the region’s development aspirations must be clearly reflected in the upcoming discussions. He assured the delegation of Sierra Leone’s commitment to tax reforms and to considering the outcomes of the AGM.