Monrovia, Liberia – Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh, the chairperson of the African Tax Media Network (ATMEN), has urged African journalists to become more involved in tax reporting in order to support domestic resource mobilization (DRM) and further the development of the continent.
Speaking at the Workshop for Exchange between Communication Officers of African Tax Administrations and Journalists, which took place from February 11–12 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Mr. Sengbeh underlined the importance of the media in influencing public opinion and encouraging tax adherence.
The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) of Burkina Faso organized the workshop, which brought together more than 50 African journalists, tax communicators, and policy experts from at least 20 nations to improve cooperation in tax reporting.
“The media is essential to the development of the country,” Mr. Sengbeh said. “Public awareness and participation rise when tax issues take center stage in media conversations, encouraging compliance and ultimately boosting revenue growth.”
He emphasized that DRM programs continue to be essential for financing national development objectives as African countries work to overcome their reliance on aid. In order to ensure that taxes are viewed as a tool for progress rather than a burden, he continued, “the media must act as a bridge between tax administrations and the public.”
According to Mr. Sengbeh, the workshop’s goal is “to ensure that African voices tell Africa’s tax story from an African perspective, bridge the gap between tax administrations and the media, and amplify the role of journalism in taxation.” He underlined the importance of tax communication for economic independence, responsibility, and bolstering the social compact between individuals and governments.
Partial view of the participants including official of ATAF, ATMEN and Journalists and communication experts.
Referring to their joint commitment as the “Burkina Faso Accord,” the ATMEN Chair asked participants to continue the momentum from the session. He said, “Let this be a turning point where we, as a group, reaffirm our determination to accurately, persistently, and credibly tell the African tax story.”
Following an ATAF effort that brought together more than 70 economic reporters and tax communicators to improve the transmission of tax information and DRM initiatives, ATMEN was established in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2019. However, the network was mostly dormant from 2019 until 2022. When Mr. Sengbeh and the newly formed ATAF Communication Team moved to revitalize the organization, this was changed.
In South Africa (2023) and Rwanda (2024), ATMEN’s representatives reported, collaborated, and published more than 80 tax-related pieces on various platforms as a result of their activities. In order to revitalize the network, a specialized website was created, a Facebook page was activated, and a constitution was drafted.
“Without ATAF’s sponsorship and belief in the power of media in tax communication, ATMEN might not exist today,” Mr. Sengbeh said, expressing his sincere thanks for the organization’s important assistance.
Eugene Southgate, Head of Corporate Services at ATAF, emphasized the need of media involvement in tax administration. Southgate, speaking on behalf of ATAF Executive Secretary Logan Woart, pointed out that poor communication tactics frequently result in public opposition to tax laws, which impedes the collection of taxes.
Eugene Southgate, Head of Corporate Services at ATAF, emphasized the need of media involvement in tax administration. Southgate, speaking on behalf of ATAF Executive Secretary Logan Woart, pointed out that poor communication tactics frequently result in public opposition to tax laws, which impedes the collection of taxes.
“A knowledgeable media is a crucial ally in communicating complicated tax laws in a way that the general public can understand,” Southgate said. He remembered that a major turning point in the development of tax journalism and the improvement of media professionals’ ability to adequately address tax issues was reached in 2019 with the founding of ATMEN in Kigali.
He noted that the Burkina Faso workshop was an additional step in providing journalists with the resources they need to enhance tax reporting and increase public awareness of the role that taxes play in development.
