By Amos Harris
KAKATA, Liberia — The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) have teamed up to deliver a groundbreaking two-day training session for 30 journalists from Montserrado and Margibi counties on tax reporting. This initiative, held from August 11 to 12, 2025, aims to significantly improve how the media covers revenue collection, tax policies, and the role of tax compliance in national development.
The training, fully funded by the LRA, covered all expenses for participants, a clear demonstration of the institution’s commitment to building media capacity in a crucial sector.
Addressing the Gap in Tax Knowledge
PUL President Julius Kanubah hailed the training as a “vital step” toward bridging the existing gap in media coverage of taxation. He noted that a lack of in-depth knowledge often leads to limited and superficial reporting on the subject.
“By partnering with the LRA, we are creating a pool of informed journalists who will report with accuracy, context, and responsibility on tax issues,” Kanubah stated. “This will help strengthen public trust in the revenue authority and foster a culture of voluntary compliance.”
The LRA’s Communications, Media, and Public Affairs Manager, D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh, described the workshop as historic, noting it was only the second of its kind. He emphasized that the media is a powerful tool for promoting tax compliance and that the goal is to equip journalists with the tools to report factually and insightfully.
A pre-training survey conducted by the LRA revealed significant knowledge gaps among participants, including:
- Limited understanding of Liberian tax laws and regulations.
- Confusion between tax collection and fee collection.
- Outdated knowledge of new digital payment systems.
- Minimal exposure to customs and trade-related taxation issues.
Training Sessions and Future Commitment
Senior LRA officials facilitated sessions covering various aspects of tax administration. Topics included the media’s role in promoting tax compliance, the shared responsibility of taxation in national development, and the importance of customs in revenue collection. The training also addressed media ethics in tax reporting and introduced development journalism techniques to encourage more in-depth and investigative reporting on how tax revenues are utilized.
The initiative culminated with all 30 journalists pledging to become “Ambassadors of Tax Reporting,” committing to produce accurate, timely, and constructive coverage of tax issues.
The LRA and PUL plan to build on this success with several follow-up measures, including:
- Launching a National Media Network on Tax Reporting to connect trained journalists.
- Hosting quarterly refresher workshops to keep journalists updated on policy changes.
- Rolling out joint awareness campaigns to reach a wider audience.
In his concluding remarks, Sengbeh underscored that taxation is a “moral contract” between citizens and their government, and that a well-informed media is an essential partner in building a tax-conscious nation. This partnership, he said, is key to Liberia’s journey toward self-reliance and sustainable development.