By Pewu Y. Sumo
MONROVIA — The Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), James Dorbor Jallah, officially launched the Government of Liberia-Civil Society Organizations Accord, Partnership Policy Framework, and Implementation Strategy, framing civic engagement and domestic tax collection as two essential sides of the same social contract.
Serving as the chief launcher at the event organized alongside the Governance Commission and the National Civil Society Council of Liberia on Friday, September 25, Jallah addressed key government officials, civil society leaders, and international development partners. He noted that while the initial accord was signed in 2016 following a decade of consultations, the newly launched implementation strategy serves as a critical bridge turning long-held promises into actionable commitments.
“An accord signed is just a promise, and an accord implemented is a partnership,” Jallah stated. “For 10 years, we have had a promise. This strategy is the bridge to the partnership.”
Key Targets and Structural Reforms
The newly launched implementation strategy establishes a structured, accountable roadmap to move from less than 20% implementation of the accord’s provisions to 80% by 2027. Core pillars of the policy includes protecting civic space, institutional governance, decentralized registration and resource mobilization.
Bridging Tax Administration and Civil Society
Addressing why the country’s chief revenue collector was selected to launch a civil society policy, Jallah emphasized that long-term civic sustainability relies on internal domestic funding rather than shrinking foreign aid.
The LRA Commissioner General highlighted the recent fiscal milestones, revealing that Liberia’s domestic revenue collection has crossed a historic threshold, surpassing 1 billion United States dollars, with collections exceeding an additional $30 million as of late September. He stressed that sustaining this growth requires transitioning from pure law enforcement to voluntary tax compliance built on public trust.
“Taxation and civic engagement are two sides of the same coin,” Jallah said. “They are two sides of the same social contract. Citizens pay, citizens demand, and the government serves.
Civil society is the bridge between the two.”
Three Concrete LRA Commitments
Jallah outlined three specific commitments to back the new framework on behalf of the LRA. They are: Plain Language Tax Education, Simplified Tax Registration and Transparent Duty Exemptions.
He noted that in addition to tax education, administrative measures must be taken to curb tax evasion and broaden the revenue base, including the aggressive pursuit of real estate taxes, tighter customs verification, and the digital integration of the ASYCUDA customs system with the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) and commercial banks.
Jallah concluded by urging all government ministries, civil society actors , and international donors to adhere strictly to the timelines outlined in the implementation matrix.
