The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held a crucial session today to address the issue of outstanding Goods and Services Tax (GST) arrears for the fiscal year 2021. The meeting, which took place at the Administrative Building of Parliament House, focused on the persistent problem of tax compliance and its impact on national revenue.

Committee members voiced their concern over the growing number of taxpayers who have failed to settle their GST obligations, leading to significant revenue losses for the government. The Chairperson of the PAC, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, stressed the importance of enforcing accountability among defaulting taxpayers.

“We cannot allow individuals or businesses to evade their tax responsibilities,” Hon. Conteh stated. “This not only undermines the integrity of our tax system but also affects our ability to fund essential public services.”

Hon. Conteh further explained the committee’s approach to addressing these arrears, emphasizing that PAC thoroughly r
eviews each case to ensure fairness. “When we receive such reports, we meticulously examine the details to ensure taxpayers are not wrongfully flagged for payment of liabilities they may have already settled. We want to create a fair platform where taxpayers if owing the National Revenue Authority (NRA), should pay, and if not, they should provide documentation to support their claim.”

He added that since the last PAC meeting in July, the committee had extended the initial 10-day deadline to allow for more comprehensive reconciliation efforts. In collaboration with the NRA and the Audit Service, the PAC has developed metrics to identify taxpayers still owing the government.

“As a committee, and by the law, we are prepared to garnish accounts to recover the owed funds,” Hon. Conteh said. “However, we remain committed to ongoing engagement to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the process.”

Source : Sierra Leone News Agency