RELEASE
Monrovia, Liberia – The three-day study visit by a delegation from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has successfully completed. With the intention of using these learnings to improve LRA’s operations in Liberia, the mission set out to investigate KRA’s best practices for improving taxpayer services.
The Taxpayer Services Division, the Media and Public Affairs Section, the Registration and Return Processing Section, and members from other important divisions made up the LRA delegation, which was led by Project Coordinator Benedict Tokpa Danuweli.
In order to bolster LRA’s capacities, the team received additional support from professionals from the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) and the Swedish Tax Agency (STA). This highlights the international collaborative effort.
The Swedish Tax Agency and the LRA have been working together to support LRA’s ability to mobilize domestic resources, and this study mission is a part of that relationship.
The cooperation focuses on building institutional capacity, especially in terms of upgrading taxpayer services, strengthening compliance risk management, and expanding human resource competences.
Madam Mary F. Karmo, Supervisor of the Registration and Return Processing Section, spoke on behalf of the LRA delegation and conveyed her sincere gratitude for KRA’s friendliness and cooperative nature. She emphasized the importance of the tour, saying that the information and experiences acquired were vital and enlightening for LRA as it proceeds with its mission to enhance taxpayer services in Liberia.
In addition, Madam Karmo underlined the mission’s wider ramifications, emphasizing the value of cooperation amongst African revenue bodies to guarantee sustained income production and promote national development.
“Over the past three days, we have been thoroughly impressed by the breadth and depth of
KRA’s operations. From comprehensive taxpayer services to innovative approaches in tax
education and voluntary compliance, we have learned a great deal.”
She also discussed how LRA is ready to put KRA’s approaches to use in effective communication, stakeholder engagement, complaint management, and contact center organization to use.
The subject lead for the project’s “Modernizing Taxpayer Services” component, James B. Kokulo, Manager for Banking Services at LRA, emphasized the vital significance of continuing collaboration with KRA to close knowledge gaps in taxpayer services, especially in areas found during the study mission.
KRA was praised for its excellent standards in revenue management by Ylva Sofia Vesterlund, a representative of the Swedish Tax Agency, and Dan-Asabe Ozayashi, a representative of WATAF.
They voiced hope for sustained cooperation on important tax issues that might improve the effectiveness of revenue collection throughout the region.
Susan Njeru, the manager of KRA’s taxpayer services, thanked LRA for choosing KRA as a benchmarking partner in response. Regarding the possibility of continued cooperation between the two tax bodies to improve revenue administration throughout Africa, she expressed optimism.
Launched in September 2021, the Swedish Tax Agency and LRA’s Institutional Capacity Development effort has significantly improved Liberia’s domestic revenue mobilization. By emphasizing the development of competent human resources, enhancing compliance risk management, and updating taxpayer services, the effort is providing LRA with the resources and expertise required to effectively and sustainably satisfy Liberia’s expanding revenue requirements.
