The National Revenue Authority held a training session for International Non-Governmental Organizations supported by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED). The training emanated from a meeting hosted by the NRA for NGOs with regards to the payment of PAYE for international staff retrospectively. One of the action points from the meeting was for the NRA to conduct a training for the NGOs on the calculation of PAYE and other tax types.
Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner General, the Commissioner of Domestic Tax Department (DTD) James Borbor Tengbe expressed deep gratitude for the invaluable work of various International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) across the country, highlighting their significant contributions in health, education, livelihood, humanitarian response, and governance reforms. He emphasized that compliance is not a burden but a vital contribution to strengthening Sierra Leone's tax ecosystem, which supports public services and institutions. He finally expressed the government's eagerness to work collaboratively towards a fairer and more accountable system.
The Acting Minister of Finance, Bockarie Kalokoh on behalf of the Ministry of Finance acknowledged the pivotal role the NGOs are playing in national development. He shed light on the Tax and Duty Exemption Act, 2023, which underscores the government's commitment to fostering a conducive environment for NGOs to function effectively and efficiently. Mr. Kalokoh emphasized the importance of this training and government’s commitment to partner with the NGOs to achieve a national development goal.
The session aimed to foster dialogue and partnership, emphasizing the importance of compliance and collaborative effort towards understanding the country's tax framework. Participants were reminded that while many organizations operate under specific agreements or exemptions, these do not eliminate all tax obligations, such as Personal Income Tax on employment income and Withholding Tax for vendors.
While making presentation, Samuel Fullah, underscored the need for proper registration, accurate tax filings, and maintaining financial records to ensure transparency and fairness in the tax system. He highlighted the importance of the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), which was introduced to streamline compliance processes.
The training also addressed common pitfalls in tax compliance and introduced dedicated focal points within the department to assist international non-governmental organizations.