-As LRA’s Commissioner General Dorbor Jallah Informs Audience of Ambitious Desire of Mobilizing US$1B in Revenue Generation
The United States Government, through its international development agency, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Thursday, October 3rd, handed over US$100,000 worth of information technology equipment to the Liberian Government, through its Revenue Authority— Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).
This donation, provided through USAID’s Local Empowerment for Accountability and Decentralization (LEAD) Activity, aims to strengthen tax administration in Liberia and align with LRA’s ambitious desire to raise the national budget to US$1 billion.
The funds’ worth of items included 30 pieces of state-of-the-art laptops, one piece of eight-Channel Network Video Recorder for POE Security Camera System, eight pieces of Dome Camera , 2 pieces of American Power Conversion Uninterrupted Power Supply, Environmental Monitoring System for Data Center, and Veeam Data Platform.
During the official handover of the items to the Commissioner General of the LRA, Mr. Dorbor Jallah, US Ambassador to Liberia, Mr. Mike C. Toner, said: “Our shared goal is to see domestic revenue increase from US$700 million to US$1 billion by 2027.”
The US diplomat emphasized the importance of enhancing tax collection systems to boost revenue for Liberia’s national development.
According to Amb. Toner, a robust tax system is essential for any nation’s development; adding: “By improving the LRA’s capacity to collect taxes more efficiently, we are not only boosting revenue, we are supporting improvements in Liberia’s public services–whether in healthcare, education or infrastructure.”
Notwithstanding, he stressed the need to ensure revenue transparency and accountability so that resources can be effectively utilized for the country’s development. “It is crucial for citizens to see the tangible benefits of their taxes,” he added.
The US Government’s donation comes as Liberia transitions to value added tax (VAT) system. “The U.S. Government is proud to support Liberia in this important transition to VAT. Through the LEAD Activity, we will continue to work closely with LRA, particularly the Domestic Tax Department, to ensure the successful implementation of VAT. This support will include training and capacity building for staff and field offices, helping to create a more efficient and transparent tax system,” Amb. Toner assured.
“This in-kind grant contribution is more than just transferring equipment—it is a reflection of our shared commitment to build a modern tax infrastructure that supports sustainable growth. I trust that this equipment will be used effectively, and that the LRA will prioritize its upkeep to ensure it delivers long-term benefits,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Commissioner General Jallah thanked the US Embassy through USAID for the kind donation that the American Government gave the LRA.
“We have been working and receiving the support of the US Government through USAID and our various implementing partners over the years to strengthen our domestic revenue mobilization. These supports have culminated into an extensive growth in our domestically mobilized revenue.”
The LRA CG reminisced how right after the civil war ended in 2003, Liberia’s budget was around 80M; adding, “Today, it’s almost US$700M.”
He disclosed that back in the day, about 90% of the country’s budget depended on external support; “Today, of the 700 + million dollar in this current budget, only 40 million is resource from outside.” According to the LRA’s CG, this is a progress that the nation has made and inclusive of this progressive is the support from the US Government.
He informed his audience of the revenue authority’s ambitious desire of doing all to cross the US$1 billion mark in its revenue mobilization.
