Members of the business community of Liberia, particularly, Mr. Dominic Nimely President of the Patriotic Entrepreneur of Liberia, and Mr. Mohammed Majah Barry, President of the Fulah Business Association of Liberia have expressed serious opposing views to the Digital and Electronic policy introduced by Liberia Revenue Authority aimed at promoting effective outcomes within the business sectors of Liberia through information Technology.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Mr. Nimely said that Digital Liberia and Electronic which seek to roll out the integrated financial management system is intended to drive business people from doing business in the country, adding that the policy is very bad for Liberia that lacked stable electricity.
According to him, the new policy by LRA has demanded them to purchase computers from the LRA which have system installed on them to help promote revenue generation for the government.
He alleged that LRA is now selling compute to them for USD$ 700,400,350 amongst others, as it is been done in supermarkets and other big business centers in the country, noting that the program and policy were brought by the LRA without informing them as stakeholders.
‘’ We are asking the government of Liberia through the LRA to not impose policy or law on us because we are stakeholders and we need to make sure that our views are respected. The same policy they are fighting to implement in Liberia here was tested in Sierra Leon but it did not materialize because of how things were unstable in the country. The same is within the case of Liberia as former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bah Kromah struggled with such until his business people left the country, it is the same we foresee will happen in Liberia’’ Mr. Nimely explained.
According to him, the government should understand that the business community is not a slave to the government but a partner in progress because, without the business community, the government cannot succeed likewise the business community, urging that they should work together with understanding and respect for each other.
Mr. Nimely described the entire situation as a front to the business community because the action by LRA shows that they do not regard the business community in any decision-making process and policy while both parties should work as partners to bring success to the government.
‘’ We are advising them to study this policy and stop imposing it on us because this policy will cause Liberian to close and leave to do business another area. We are willing to have our people educated but this is not the time to do so. We are bringing in investors and as we are doing that let them not make the few we have leave us.
Giving a background of the policy and meeting with the LRA, the President of the Fulah Business Association of Liberia, Mr. Mohammed Barrey said, they only received communication from LRA through the Liberia Business Association, and the Liberia Chamber of commerce informing them about a meeting with the LRA concerning the policy.
Mr. Barry noted that during the meeting, the LRA explained to them about the policy and they did not accept their request because of the listed factors of which the meeting ended in confusion without a comprehensive understanding and the LRA promised to call them back to conclude on the matter.
Reported by: Taisiah K.Merfee
Email: Merfeetaisiah94@gmail.com
Phone number: +231888635121/+231776247549
Whassap: /+231776247549
