HARBEL, MARGIBI COUNTY – The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on Friday, October 3, 2025, kicked off a landmark two-day workshop bringing together newspaper editors and talk show hosts in Monrovia, aiming to transform media practitioners into “tax ambassadors” who can better explain, analyze, and shape public understanding of taxation in Liberia.
The training, under the theme “LRA Talk Show Hosts and Editors Training on Tax Reporting”, brings together leading journalists, editors, and broadcasters for intensive sessions on domestic taxes, customs, and compliance processes. It is the first time in the LRA’s 11-year history that the Authority has deliberately organized such a forum targeting high-level media practitioners.
Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh, Manager of Communications, Media & Public Affairs at the LRA, said the initiative represents a strategic investment in Liberia’s development, stressing that accurate, well-informed tax reporting is critical to public trust and compliance.
“Media theory tells us that if taxation is not properly explained, prioritized, and framed by the media, Liberia risks losing billions in revenue needed for schools, hospitals, and roads,” Sengbeh said in his opening statement. “That is why the LRA must not only engage you but partner with you.”
He noted that while the LRA has worked with journalists over the years, this marks the first formal training designed to bridge knowledge gaps identified in pre-training surveys with more than 30 reporters. The US$16,000 workshop, he said, is intended to empower participants not as “PR officers” for the LRA, but as “tax ambassadors” — trusted voices who can interpret, analyze, and explain taxation to the public.
Sengbeh, himself a former Secretary-General of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), emphasized the critical role of the media in shaping national narratives. “You were chosen because of the pivotal role you play in setting national conversations,” he told participants. “This workshop is historic, and it is only the beginning of a broader partnership between the LRA and the media.”
The training, which runs through Saturday, will feature presentations from senior LRA departments, including Domestic Tax, Customs, and Communications, as well as interactive sessions on how the media can effectively report on revenue issues.
Looking ahead, Sengbeh disclosed that the LRA, under the leadership of Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, plans to expand the initiative by 2026 to reach at least 250 journalists across all 15 counties, building a nationwide network of “media tax ambassadors.”
The Margibi County local authorities, along with the PUL, are expected to lend support to the exercise, underscoring the importance of professional and independent tax reporting. The PUL Vice President, Ms. Beatrice Sieh called for more collaboration and partnership between the LRA and the Liberian press. She thanked the LRA for beginning the partnership and pledged the PUL’s support towards it.
The LRA believes the initiative will not only foster transparency but also help combat misinformation about taxation. “When citizens lack access to credible information, they make poor choices,” Sengbeh cautioned. “Together, we can ensure that taxation is understood not as a burden, but as a civic duty for national development.”
