The National Revenue Authority (NRA) yesterday went on the offensive to chase tax defaulters who have failed to pay their Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax for this year, and both Timis Mining Corporation and the Sierra Leone Airport Authority fell in their net.
Speaking to the Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Mohamed Bangura said Timis Mining Corporation owes NRA the sum of Le14.6 billion whilst the Sierra Leone Airport Authority (SLAA) owes Le4.5 billion. He said they have sent several letters to these institutions but they failed to reply and meet the deadline.
“Because they failed to respond to our several communications, we have now taken the bull by the horn and close down all institutions that have failed to meet their tax obligation.
Mr Mohamed Bangura averred that these are monies they deduct from their workers’ salaries and they failed to pay the workers taxes to NRA and now they need money so that the government will be able to run the country and meet its obligation on many sectors, including health, road construction, education, etc.
The Manager of Collection and Compliance Monitoring, Mr Ibrahim Bangura, in his remarks, said this is the beginning as they will continue to close down businesses and institutions that have not met their obligation.
He said they have written to most of the institutions to meet their obligation to government but some of them just don’t want to comply.
At the Timis Mining Corporation, it was discovered that they only had a one room office as reports states that Cape Lambert that sublette them are fed up with them because they have failed to meet their responsibility, and so the entire floor that was rented out to them has been taken, leaving them with just a room.
At SLAA’s Rawdon Street office, most of the workers were disappointed to learn that their management has failed to meet their tax obligation as they were embarrassed after they were told to pack all their belongings and leave the building.
Mr Mohamed Mansaray, who is charge of Medium Tax Office, said they will not relent as this particular time the government is in need of money and they will do all their best to retrieve as much as they can for the government.
He called on all the other institutions they have sent letters to, to make sure they visit the NRA now before allowing them to visit their offices. He said it is embarrassing for these institutions to be shut down for failing to meet their obligation as it will have an effect on their credibility.
He said when the premises are sealed, if the seal is broken then the institution will be fined Le50 million which they will pay along with their debt.
Friday November 20, 2015
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