The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has concluded a two-day capacity-building workshop for talk show hosts and editors aimed at strengthening tax education and enhancing media coverage of national revenue issues.
Held at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, the event brought together media professionals from across the country to deepen their understanding of domestic taxation, customs processes, and the LRA’s ongoing reform initiatives.
In his opening remarks, LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah underscored the critical role of the media in fostering public trust and voluntary tax compliance, describing journalists as “vital partners in the national tax conversation.”
“The work of the LRA is central to building a better Liberia,” Jallah said. “You are the bridge between the LRA and the public. Through accurate and informed reporting, you empower citizens to comply and participate in national development.”
He highlighted several key reforms currently being implemented by the LRA, including the planned transition from the existing Goods and Services Tax (GST) to a Value Added Tax (VAT) system by 2027.
Other reforms include the modernization of real property taxation through digital mapping in collaboration with local governments, an expanded Excise Tax regime, and new strategies to bring the informal sector into the tax net.
Jallah also emphasized the LRA’s push for digital transformation. He cited the deployment of the Liberia Integrated Tax Administration System (LITAS) and the ASYCUDA customs platform as major milestones.
Additional digital innovations include the use of Electronic Fiscal Devices, the acceptance of mobile money for tax payments, and real-time monitoring of transactions in sectors such as telecommunications, gaming, and mobile money.
At the closing of the workshop, Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh, Manager for Communications, Media, and Public Affairs (CMPA) at the LRA, praised participants for their active engagement and openness throughout the sessions.
“This partnership is not about praise-singing,” Sengbeh stressed. “It is about transparency, accountability, and ensuring that the public receives accurate, timely information on taxation and national revenue.”
He described the event as the beginning of a larger vision to build a nationwide network of tax-informed journalists and media ambassadors.
Speaking on behalf of the talk show hosts, Quincy Terrance Juwle thanked the LRA for the initiative and called on the Authority to include media practitioners in international training opportunities on taxation and revenue generation.
Winnie S. Jimmy, representing print media editors, commended the LRA for involving newsroom leaders and recommended that media professionals be included in the planning stages of future workshops.
Jimmy also pledged the print media’s continued commitment to working with the LRA to raise public awareness about the importance of tax compliance and responsible citizenship.
Participants expressed appreciation for the training, vowing to use their platforms to educate the public on how taxes fund essential services and contribute to national development.
The LRA, in turn, reaffirmed its commitment to rolling out similar training across Liberia to promote transparency, increase tax literacy, and enhance voluntary compliance.
As the workshop concluded, a shared vision emerged among participants: a better-informed public, a more accountable tax system, and a stronger Liberia built on truth, trust, and collective responsibility.
