The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has launched a new application to help make the registration and payment of real property tax easier.
The new application known as the LRA App will be downloaded on smart phones from Google Play Store, used to acquire tax identification numbers and used to calculate taxes.The applications launched Tuesday, 22 October include Obtain Your TIN; Make Your Real Property Tax Payment and Find LRA Staff.Speaking at the launch of the App, LRA Commissioner General Mr. Thomas Doe Nah says if the institution is not collecting taxes, the society will collapse.He notes that the taxes collected are being used for hospital, salaries, and security forces, among other things.
In the midst of challenges, Mr. Nah indicates that it is possible to expand LRA’s tax base because Liberia cannot continue to survivor on $500m.According to Mr. Nah, Liberia has been at that level for the last five to six years.Displaying the “Know LRA Staff” App, the LRA Boss calls on the public to report any LRA employee that is not serving the public well.The launch of the first ever LRA Mobile App is in line with goal four of the LRA’s 5-year corporate strategic plan which underscores the use of information communication technology in the collection of the country revenue.
Speaking recently at the Ministry of Information’s weekly press briefing in Monrovia, Mr. Nah discloses that the reform measures will include recalibrating and restructuring of the operations of the Domestic Tax Department with a focus on increasing real property tax and improving efficiencies.
He says the LRA is currently working along with other government stakeholders and partners to kick start other meaningful tax reform measures such as insurance of visa on arrival and including airline tickets rationalization.
Commissioner General Nah encourages members to report acts of tax fraud through whistleblowing as a means of helping the Authority to weed out would be bad apples.–Edited by Winston W. Parley
