LoneStar Cell MTN wins Gold

Liberia’s leading telecommunications giant Lonestar Cell MTN has won the Liberia Revenue Authority’s prestigious Golden Award for being the highest tax paying entity in the country.

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) handed the prestigious award to the premium GSM Company on Saturday, July 1, at the Monrovia City Hall during program marking the observance of Taxpayers’ Appreciation Day organized by the LRA.

According to the LRA, Lonestar Cell MTN pays the highest in taxes for fiscal 2016/2107. Presenting the award, Liberia’s Vice President Joseph Boakai, commends Lonestar Cell MTN for being committed to its tax paying obligation, which he describes as a show of support to Liberia’s development, and urges others to emulate the good example.
“I want to thank you for being the highest taxpayer, especially so as this is part and parcel of our nation’s building process. Thank you ever so much and I want to thank the LRA for this great initiative,” Vice President Boakai expresses.

Meanwhile, Lonestar Cell MTN Chief Executive Officer, Babatunde Osho, has dedicated the award to all Lonestar Cell MTN subscribers, lauding them for keeping the company in business. “We are all winners of the award.”

Speaking on behalf of fellow winners at the occasion, he appreciates all companies and individuals who won awards for fiscal year 2016/17, and promised to win both the highest taxpayer and most tax compliant awards during the next award ceremony.

“Next year, it is my promise, that we will not just be the highest taxpayer, but we will also be the most tax compliant company. We are committed now and in the future in paying our taxes,” CEO Osho vows.

The Government of Liberia through the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on Saturday, July 1, 2017 commemorated Taxpayers Appreciation Day.The LRA says day is an indispensable annual event to recognize and appreciate taxpayers, who thru their contributions to domestic mobilization, give a very good functioning of the government.
Accordingly, LoneStar Cell MTN was regarded as the company that has paid the highest in taxes within the fiscal year 2016/2017 and therefore won the coveted Golden Award from LRA.

Meanwhile, rival GSM Company Orange-Liberia, has won the LRA Silver Award, while Monrovia Breweries won Bronze Award for being the third highest taxpayer.In the Most Compliance category, Ecobank-Liberia was named as the most compliance taxpayer in the country, an award that was presented by the President of the Liberia Bankers Association, Mr. Johnson B.S. Davis, who himself, is also President of the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI).

The Most Medium Tax Compliance was won by Family Health International, was followed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia and Sharks Incorporated, respectively in that category.

The Most Compliant Small Taxpayer Award was given to Aero Alliance Group Corporation, while Fuel Service Liberia Incorporated and Atlantic Liberia Incorporated came second and third respectively.

Among other awards, Madam Elsay Cooper was awarded as the highest taxpayer in the Vacant Land Award subcategory of the Real Estate Tax Award, while Mr. David Kortie won the Residential Property Award sub-category, and the Commercial Property Award sub-category was won by the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).

By Lewis S. Teh-Editing by Jonathan Browne