By Septimus Senessie in Kono
The Kono District Council says it is introducing its “home source revenue,” a new tax system in the eastern district since the re-introduction in 2004 of local government in Sierra Leone.
Council evaluator, Mohamed Sahr Philip Yajah, in charge of property taxes and business licenses said that in the eight years of its existence the council had not collected house, property rates and other licenses because the township was destroyed by rebels during the 11-year brutal war.
“This year with the help of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) the council will be embarking on the collection of property taxes and license in the 14 chiefdom headquarters and other bigger towns in the district” he said, adding that if successful it would apparently raise about Le 500 Million(five hundred million leones) in one year.
He told Politico that it was the first time the Kono district council was introducing such a tax system, pointing out that the whole process was funded by IFAD with the aim of improving on “home source revenue mobilization drive in the district”.
“I can assure you that the process will be fruitful based on the level of sensitization we have done already,” Yarjah boasted, adding that money collected would be used for community development purposes across the chiefdoms.
He said that at the end of each tax year, the council would hold a public meeting with the community people through which needs would be identified and addressed.
