By Omar Bah
The Minister of Tourism and Culture, Hamat Bah, has announced the government’s plan to constitute a taskforce to tackle tax evasion in the country.
Addressing crowds in Kombo Lamin on Sunday during the meet the people tour, Mr Bah said in January, the government will take all measures to make sure that taxes due to the government are collected. He revealed that the taskforce will include the ministries of tourism, finance, digital economy, interior, GRA, Immigration, the directorate of taxes at the ministry of finance, and the Office of the Inspector General of Police.
Minister Bah said the taskforce will also crack down on individuals who are operating motels and bars but refusing to pay taxes.
“There are people who are using their houses as hotels, while others have motels and apartments and refused to register them, but from January on, we will make sure that they all pay their taxes. The hotels, bars, restaurants, and casinos are paying while others are taking all the guests, and they are not paying a dime. Now they will either register with the GTBoard and GRA or we will close them down. They must pay. There is no compromise on payment of taxes. They are accusing the government of corruption, but they are happy to cheat the government by refusing to pay their taxes,” Hamat Bah said.
Bah said if the government is being demanded to achieve something not achieved in the last fifty years, then it must have money to enable it to do that.
“We are putting so much pressure on Barrow that he should do something that could not be done here for 50 years. That is a heavy load,” he said.
Bah added that tax administrators must look out for people who under report the sales of their properties just to avoid paying the right tax.
“There are very senior people who are accomplices in this because those who wrote these papers know that it is criminal and against the law to cheat the state,” he said.
He said lawyers found wanting in such deals will be prosecuted.
“If you are selling your compound and visit a lawyer and inform him or her that you sold your compound for D5 million but you want him/her to write D2 million for you, and the lawyer obliges, if you are caught, the government will take action against both of you. Enough is enough,” he said.
Mr Bah said those who challenge the government to fight against corruption but are bent on being corrupt themselves will be dealt with.
“We will fight corruption in government and in society because fighting corruption cannot be one-sided. We are going to wash the entire system. Those who are writing those papers know themselves, but the government will take drastic measures, and there will be no sacred cows. Whoever is caught depriving the country of its resources will be dealt with seriously. You cannot be part of the corruption and want to make noise that there is corruption in the government. That will not be tolerated, and we are going to stop it. We will need the alkalolu, chiefs, governors, and lawyers, and all stakeholders are encouraged to cooperate with the government because there will be no compromise,” he said.
