By Mary Kabay
As a way of expressing commitment to enforce certain tax policies in the country and to ensure that compliance in fulfilling tax obligations is at top level, especially with the enactment of the ECR Regulations of 2021, the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Dr. Samuel S. Jibao and team accompanied by newsmen, as observers, were again out on the 2nd February 2022 in continuation of shop verification to ensure the installation of ECR machines. Major shops on Siaka Stevens Street, Sandas Street, at Congo Cross and on Aberdeen Road were visited.
According to Dr. Samuel S. Jibao the exercise was undertaken against the backdrop that so far the Authority has installed slightly over 3,000 machines but has noticed very high user apathy from business people in Freetown.
He continued that as part of NRA’s plans for 2022, the entity will intensify its enforcement drive to ensure all revenue enhancement systems are fully deployed and used by taxpayers.
The NRA Boss, intimated journalists and by extension members of the public, that the Authority issued series of public notices asking businesses to contact the Authority to install the machines before they decided to embark on the visits in order to ensure compliance.
During the exercise it was noticed that most of the shops and business outlets do not have the machines installed and from what was learnt some of the business owners put up indifferent attitudes when the machines were about to be installed at their outlets. Some, upon hearing that the team is on the way decided to close their shops.
What was also unveiled was that some business people in the country take certain statutory policies just for granted, some going with the idea of not to be taxed evident in some of the flimsy comments that were made.
What was noticeable was that though it was not the original intention of the Commissioner General to close errant business entities, however, the sarcastic comments made by some business owners forced him to do so.
“This shop must remain close until all the needful is done accordingly,” he told one business owner found not complying in using the ECR machine. He added that there are fines to be imposed on defaulters ranging from Le 50M to Le 250M depending on the magnitude of the offence.
For business entities that were discovered to be operating illegally without justifiable documentation, the Commissioner General gave them a two-day ultimatum to regularize their businesses or be prepared to face the law.
Dr. Jibao disclosed that there is a balance of 2000 machines in stock to be installed stating how the installation plus the software is free. He laid emphasis that after the stock runs out the next batch will only be available on sale underscoring how it is mandatory for every shop that make sales turnover of 100 Million Leones to have one installed.
In his message everywhere a visit was paid, the Commissioner-General made it categorically clear that they are not out to close shops but rather to raise awareness about the Electronic Cash Register machines, how to correctly use them.
The exercise is expected to continue within the coming months as the Authority intensifies tax compliance by business owners in the country.
