Liberians Divided Over Protest At LRA

-As Boss Says ‘She’s Mentally Strong’

As protest hits the Liberia Revenue Authority, the boss Commissioner-General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Madam Elfrieda Stewart Tamba says she is not deterred and remain ‘mentally strong’.

Speaking to legislative reporters Thursday at the Capitol Building where she has gone to appear on the witness stand with the management of BIVAC international, the LRA boss said it is the rights of people to protest and as such, she is not deterred, but remains strong because she is doing the right thing as head of the revenue generating agency of the Liberian Government.
Madam Tamba said her focus is to work in line with her mission as head of the LRA and raise the lawful revenue for the country.
The LRA boss has in recent times received some mix reactions from some citizens of the country who had staged numerous protests at the compound of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) at the ELWA junction in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. At the same time, the Societal Reform Initiative for Peacebuilding Network of Liberia says its attention has been seriously drawn to what it calls attacks and protests by few individuals against the re-appointment of the Commissioner-General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Madam Elfrieda Stewart Tamba along with her two deputies, Madam Decontee T. King-Sackie and Oliver N. Rogers, II.
This week, a handful of persons, purportedly under the disguise of advocacy have embarked on series of calls and protests to President George M. Weah not to re-appoint the current commissioners of the LRA. The Societal Reform Initiative for Peacebuilding Network of Liberia says it condemns, in the strongest terms all calls and protests being carried out against the re-appointment of Madam Elfrieda Tamba and her hardworking deputies at the Liberia Revenue Authority.
“Having followed the operations of the country’s single most revenue house under Madam Elfrieda Tamba as Commissioner General, we see all calls and protests against her re-appointment as an undercutting ploy intended to derail the many years of services of dedication and commitment by her administration and a setback to progressive revenue collection in Liberia,” a statement signed by Amos B. S. Kanneh, the National Chairman said.
The group said it is highly unfortunate, ridiculous and unjust on the part of those against the re-appointment of Madam Elfrieda Tamba and her deputies as they have demonstrated robustness, honesty and steadfastness in the collection of Liberia’s domestic revenue. “Madam Elfrieda Tamba and her Team have uncompromisingly collected the country’s taxes and other revenues through the rigorous implementation of revenue laws and codes.” The CSO added.
The group cited the collection of a record US$15 Million in the Month of May 2018 at the Freeport of Monrovia as a testament to the effort and time expended by staff of the LRA under the dynamic leadership of Madam Elfreida Tamba; aimed at meeting government’s budgetary targets for its Pro-Poor Agenda.
They said this effort and milestone would not have been possible in the absence of closing revenue leakages and instituting modernization and transformational initiatives such as the paperless declaration in the country’s revenue administration.
The Societal Reform Initiative For Peacebuilding Network of Liberia says it wants to make it unequivocally clear that Madam Elfrieda Tamba and her deputies have professionalized and modernized the LRA comparable to any national revenue institution in the world.
“The calls and protests against Madam Elfreida Tamba and her deputies at the LRA are mere falsehood, unfounded and the agenda of the critics is to present them negatively to the President of Liberia. We are reliably informed that those making the calls and protesting against the reappointment of Madam Tamba and her deputies are paid agents of business owners who want to evade tax payments and other who were laid-off for unprofessional acts that undermines the state’s revenue accumulation. All actions instituted by Madam Tamba have been in the best interest of the Liberian people and state in terms of protecting the country’s revenue,” they added.
Meanwhile, the Societal Reform Initiative for Peacebuilding Network of Liberia calls on President George Weah to maintain the current commissioners of the Liberia Revenue Authority; Madam Elfrieda Stewart Tamba as Commissioner General, Madam Decontee T.
King-Sackie as Deputy Commissioner for Technical Services and Oliver N. Rogers, II as Deputy Commissioner for Administration.
They said if the Pro Poor Agenda of the CDC Led Government is to succeed in meeting its program objectives in the interest of the Liberian People, Madam Elfrieda Tamba should stay at the core of domestic revenue collection, saying Madam Elfreida Stewart Tamba has always worked assiduously in making sure that the LRA meets domestic revenue targets in support of government Budget.