The National Revenue Authority (NRA) just few weeks ago when they announced that they plans to take punitive actions against companies and businesses that have defaulted on tax payments on Thursday 19th November, 2015 shutdown Smart Mobile Company Lumley Headquarter as one of their defaulters until the company fulfilled it tax obligation which is part of NRA action in a bid of reducing unpaid taxes in the country.
The closure of the mobile company did not only bring shame to customers but staff as well who thought the company is well capable of fulfilling its obligations not only to staff but the country.
NRA Finance Director, Abdulai Conteh said during the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators conference in Malaysia, tax indebtedness is a major challenge to revenue collection in the world especially Sierra Leone.
Abdulai Conteh stated that while NRA is encouraging taxpayers to meet their tax obligation voluntarily, it remains ready to enforce tax laws against defaulters including closure of businesses with tax arrears and stressed that it is not the intentions of the authority to put people out of businesses but whose premises are in the process of being closed down just like the case of Smart Mobile are those whose arrears have accumulated overtime and refused to settle its tax liabilities despite several reminders to clear outstanding debts.
The questions now on the lips of many are whether Smart Mobile can stand the test of time due to the high hope they raised to staff and customers.
A communication expert told this medium that any good company must be able to pay it tax and salaries of staff and at first Smart Mobile Company staff allegedly cried for months of salaries and now the company’s office has been shut down by NRA for tax in which several developed countries generate its revenue for the development of it countries.
Most subscribers that witness the closure of the office were asking if Smart would not be like Comium mobile company that was forced to closed because couldn’t met it, fees, taxes among other arrears that enable the company to function properly.
