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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Sierra Leone’s Parliament has raised serious concerns regarding the poor performance of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) in revenue generation.
Speaking on behalf of the PAC, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee, Honorable Tawa Conteh, expressed dissatisfaction over the NRA’s inability to efficiently fulfill its mandate of tax collection.
Hon. Conteh emphasized that despite the NRA being mandated by an Act of Parliament to collect revenue, the authority has consistently underperformed. He highlighted that this failure to meet its targets has hindered the country’s ability to undertake critical development projects across Sierra Leone.
The PAC, having begun hearings on the 2021 Audit Report, noted some progress, reporting that the Committee had recovered over fifty billion Leones from organizations that owed the NRA. However, the Deputy Speaker questioned the NRA’s overall effectiveness, given the urgency of addressing the country’s financial needs.
Urging collaboration among government officials, Hon. Conteh called for stronger support of President Julius Maada Bio’s initiatives aimed at improving tax collection and fulfilling his promises to the people of Sierra Leone. The Deputy Speaker warned that failure to meet revenue goals would result in public backlash, yet those responsible for poor performance would likely remain unaccountable.
According to Hon. Conteh, recommendations from the 2018 Government Budget, presented by former Finance Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa, outlined clear strategies for improving tax compliance. These included establishing a tax court to prosecute defaulters, implementing a post-clearance audit system to enhance customs compliance, launching a taxpayer sensitization campaign, and developing support strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to encourage tax adherence.
The PAC’s recent findings have cast doubt on the NRA’s effectiveness in supporting the government’s broader economic goals, particularly in key sectors such as mining and telecommunications. The Committee’s concerns underscore the urgent need for improved tax administration and reform in Sierra Leone’s revenue collection systems.
