The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on April 4, 2024, launched a one-day High-level Hybrid of the Tax Inspectors Without Borders for Criminal Investigations (TIWB-CI) program at its headquarters in Paynesville.
The TIWB-CI program is a collaborative initiative led by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It aims to bolster the capacity of tax administrations to tackle tax crimes through knowledge and best practices.
Officiating the launch on behalf of the Minister of Finance, the Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Anthony Myers stated that domestic revenue mobilization will expand the fiscal space in support of Liberia’s development priorities.
Myers said that any efforts or initiatives that close loopholes and stop the leakages that reduce revenue tax evasion are most welcome.
For his part, the LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the OECD and UNDP for this joint initiative which he said will help to raise Liberian revenue to US$1 billion annually, with concerted efforts. Mr. Jallah said those who will be found guilty of not being tax compliant and engaging in tax fraud will face the maximum penalty the law allows.
He added that currently, none of the government ministries received the budget they had hoped for due to insufficient resources.
“This initiative marks a significant step in our ongoing effort to enhance tax administration, mobilize domestic resources effectively, and expand the fiscal space so that Liberia’s resources can be used for the sustainable and inclusive development of Liberia”, said the UNDP Resident Representative a.i Louis Kuukpen.
Kuukpen further noted that this programme is a continuation of shared success that includes three TIWB programmes that have already made a mark in Liberia and ongoing audit assistance in the extractives sector.
He said those are a testament to the collective dedication to improving tax administration and strengthening the ability to mobilize national resources.
Also present among other delegates at this meeting were the Minister of Justice Counsellor N. Oswald Tweh, Liberia’s Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Counsellor Alexandra K. Zoe.
Counsellor Tweh noted that his ministry will support both the LRA and LACC assuring that people will be held accountable for breaking the tax law.
Counsellor Zoe on her part welcomed the initiative which she said falls directly under the mandate of the LACC to investigate and prosecute acts of corruption that include tax crimes. She added that the LACC looks forward to collaborating with the LRA specifically in investigating and prosecuting.
Voicing his views at the launch, former Senator and now Commissioner of the Liberia Immigration Service, Honorable Steve Zargo advised that it is important to sustain long-term investigation by keeping watch and filing crimes to provide sufficient evidence for trials.
As part of follow-up activities after this launch, a workshop is scheduled from the 8th to the 11th of April in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, with the intent to fortify the requisite capacity for effective tax crime investigations. It also underscores unwavering commitment to combat tax crimes effectively and foster international cooperation through the OECD and UNDP partnership.
The exercise will be facilitated by Ms. Olivia Okello of the Kenya Revenue Authority. The TIWB-CI UNDP expert is experienced in criminal investigations and intelligence.
