Post a comment
Members of the Sierra Leone Importers Union have on Thursday February 17th 2022 engaged officials of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) at the new Freetown City Hall.
The emergency meetings attracted various traders, importers, Lebanese, Indians and Chinese business people among others.
The business community expressed serious concerns regarding the installation of the Electronic Cash Register machines by NRA at various business houses of all registered Goods and Services Tax (GST) payers.
The President of the Union, Alhaji Mohamed Wurie Sow expressed his dissatisfaction over the installation of the machines at their business houses. He said the exercise has increased the burden on their businesses, stressing that their businesses will collapse if NRA did not do the needful.
Alhaji Sow called on the government to critically look at their challenges, citing the high tax rates as one reason for their challenges to be mitigated.
In his contribution, the Secretary General of the Union, Rashid Conteh explained the major challenges facing the business people such as, the complexity and faultiness of the machines, clearing and shipping charges at the Quay, foreign exchange availability, low margin, high tax rate among others.
He registered his displeasure at the forceful closure of shops by NRA without proper sensitization. He called on government to reduce the tax rates on businesses, especially the Electronic Cash Register machines.
Responding, NRA Deputy Commissioner, Jeneba Bangura emphasized that the machines would not add any burden to business people but rather, it would create convenience and help businesses to grow. She assured the business community that NRA will make sure that the machines operate effectively.
She pointed out that since they rely more on business people for economic growth, they will continue to dialogue with them.
Meanwhile, several business owners expressed their frustrations and disappointment over the installations of these machines. They described it as untimely, noting that it has increased more tax rates on them than before. They totally condemned the use of these machines in Sierra Leone, stressing that it will become difficult for them to use it.
