HARBEL, MARGIBI COUNTY – Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah has called on Liberian media leaders to serve as partners in shaping public understanding of ambitious tax reforms, urging editors and talk show hosts to become “champions of truth and transparency” in the fight for national development.
Speaking on the last day of a two-day training for editors and talk show hosts at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, Jallah stressed that taxation is “the lifeblood of government,” funding schools, hospitals, roads, and other essential services. But he warned that these gains can only be realized if citizens understand and trust the tax system.
“Through your platforms—whether on the airwaves, in print, or online—you inform, educate, and shape public opinion,” Jallah told the media professionals. “When you report accurately on tax and revenue, you don’t just inform—you help build transparency, trust, and national ownership.”
The workshop, themed “LRA Talk Show Hosts and Editors Training on Tax Reporting,” is the first of its kind in the LRA’s 11-year history and is part of efforts to strengthen partnerships with the media. It follows a similar training for reporters in Margibi earlier this year, organized in collaboration with the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).
Bold Tax Reforms Ahead
Jallah used the occasion to highlight a series of transformative reforms the LRA is rolling out, including:
- The transition from Goods and Services Tax (GST) to a Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2027.
- A comprehensive Real Property Tax reform, using digital mapping and coordination with local governments.
- An expanded Excise Tax regime and strategies to bring the informal sector into the tax net.
- A sweeping digital transformation of tax administration, including electronic fiscal devices, mobile money payments, and real-time visibility for payments in sectors like telecommunications and gaming.
“These reforms are ambitious, but they are also necessary,” Jallah said. “And they will only succeed if Liberians understand them—and more importantly, if they believe in them.”
‘Tax Ambassadors’ for Liberia
Earlier at the launch of the workshop, LRA Communications Manager Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh, himself a veteran journalist, told participants they were being empowered not as public relations officers for the LRA, but as “Tax Ambassadors.”
“You are here to be empowered as trusted voices who can interpret, analyze, and explain taxation for the good of the people,” Sengbeh said.
He cautioned against speculation and misreporting, noting that misinformation often fuels public distrust. The training, he added, was designed to build capacity for accurate and balanced tax reporting.
The Media as Guardians of Truth
Commissioner General Jallah acknowledged the challenges of an era dominated by misinformation and disinformation but stressed that media credibility remains critical to Liberia’s growth.
“Together, we can counter falsehoods with facts, suspicion with clarity, and mistrust with transparency,” he said. “This workshop is therefore about partnership. The LRA commits to opening its doors wider, sharing accurate information, and making tax administration clearer and more accessible.”
The two-day session, which cost an estimated US$16,000, includes presentations from the Domestic Tax Department, Customs Department, and the LRA’s Communications, Media & Public Affairs Division. The Authority also announced plans to expand training nationwide, with a goal of reaching at least 250 journalists by 2026.
A Shared Mission
Margibi District #3 Representative Ellen Attoh Wreh, who also chairs the Women’s Legislative Caucus, commended the initiative during a similar training earlier this year, warning beneficiaries to use the knowledge responsibly. “This is not a political gift,” she said. “Use these opportunities wisely to lift yourselves and create lasting change for your communities.”
As the Farmington workshop continues, the LRA says it is committed to building a long-term partnership with the media, anchored in professionalism and patriotism.
“Whether you wear the badge of journalist or tax administrator,” Jallah concluded, “we are all working toward the same mission: building a stronger, better Liberia.”
