By zainab.joaque@awokonewspaper.sl
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Two Senior Economists from the National Revenue Authority (NRA) of Sierra Leone, Sheku Mohamed Seymour-Wilson and Mohamed Alie Bah, were honoured at the 11th Steering Committee (SC) Meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Regional Technical Assistance Center for West Africa 2 (AFRITAC-West 2) held in Praia, Cabo Verde.
During the meeting, which also marked AFRITAC’s 10th Anniversary, Seymour-Wilson and Bah, along with Abdul-Aziz Hamza of the Central Bank of Nigeria, were recognized for their winning entries in the Research Contest. Their research focused on “An Assessment of the Impact of Tax Education Initiatives on Tax Compliance: A Case Study of the National Revenue Authority of Sierra Leone.” The session discussing their research was led by AFRITAC West 2 Economist, Pokuaa Adu, and awards were presented by AFRITAC West 2 Director, Eva Jenkner.
Research Winners
The meeting was opened by Governor of Banco de Cabo Verde and SC Chair, Oscar Santos, along with Eva Jenkner at the Oásis Atlântico Praiamar Hotel in Praia, Cabo Verde. In his opening address, Chair Santos lauded a decade of AFW2 capacity development (CD) in Cabo Verde and the region. He reaffirmed Cabo Verde’s commitment by pledging $500,000 towards the new phase and future of AFW2 CD initiatives.
A notable discussion during the meeting highlighted AFW2’s support in enhancing audit and compliance capacities in the telecommunications sector. This support proved critical during the COVID-19 crisis, leading to a significant increase in revenue collections from the sector, which in turn helped finance essential spending needs. AFW2 advisor Idia Penane engaged with NRA Sierra Leone Commissioner General Jeneba Bangura and Liberia Revenue Authority’s acting Commissioner for Domestic Taxes, Margaret Krote, on “Shoring up Revenues during COVID in Sierra Leone and Liberia.”
Additionally, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Cabo Verde, Olavo Correia, detailed Cabo Verde’s journey towards fiscal transparency during AFW2’s 10th Anniversary event. He noted that AFW2 support played a pivotal role in enhancing financial reporting and fiscal transparency, notably through the development of a fiscal transparency portal, a significant reform in Cabo Verde’s Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development (2017-2021). This session was led by Phyllis Makau, Regional Advisor for Public Financial Management.
The honoured contributions by Sheku Mohamed Seymour-Wilson and Mohamed Alie Bah underscore the vital role of research and capacity building in improving tax compliance and revenue generation, contributing to the overall fiscal health and development of Sierra Leone. ZIJ/24/6/2024