NEWS Compromising Revenue Collection in Sierra Leone....Barely 13 Months in Office NRA Boss Builds Two Mansions Posted by Mohamed Konneh on Feb 11, 2009, 05:26

NRA Boss Alieu Sesay Compromising His Job

Barley thirteen months in office as the country’s Commissioner General for the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Mr Alieu Sesay is building himself two houses simultaneously on the hills of Freetown, over-looking the city. For the past two weeks reporters from this press have been knocking at the office doors of the Commissioner General to get his comments about the two buildings, but anytime effort is made they are dismissed either through the telephone or doors slammed against them and told to go and write by Mr. Sesay “Go and write about my houses, if Lebanese are building houses why can’t I build?” Mr. Sesay yelled over the phone, when Mohammed Konneh of this media house called on him for his comment.

What has baffled most workers at the National Revenue Authority is the pace adopted by their boss to complete the two buildings, against the backdrop of poor revenue generation. But, Mr. Sesay care less whether revenue generation is poor or not as his focus is centered on how to complete his mansions at Gloucester. Photos of the building published this edition according to family sources commenced some years back when he was an employee at the West Africa Monetary Institution, but progress was not only poor, but dismal as a result of lack of required funds to fast track the building project and has been lying down for the past couple of years until when he was appointed by President Koroma to serve as the country’s Commissioner General in charge of revenue generation. The building is located at Gloucester Village in Sorie Town, where it is believed huge funding is directed to by the Commissioner General to realize his dream at the detriment of the state.

 

House at Sorie Town, Owned by Commissioner Alieu Sesay

The second building whose picture is published somewhere in this edition is reportedly bought by the Commissioner General less than six months back from the children of the late Dr. Pratt. It was during his last visit to the United States of America, that arrangements were concluded. Though the building was bought unfinished, building experts are saying that because of its location and size, its running into Million of Leones and more money is needed to put it together and make habitable. This second building is situated at Mamma Lane at Gloucester, also over-looking the city of Freetown.

In a letter dated 2^nd January, 2009 sent to the Commissioner General and copied the Independent Media Commission(IMC) soliciting the latter’s intervention to get Mr. Sesay  comment on these two buildings also proved futile as his intention is to conceal his building project from the public.

 

House at Mama Lane, Owned by Commissioner Alieu Sesay

Two weeks back, Standard Times Ishmeal Dumbuya monitored Mr. Sesay while paying visits to his building sites late in the evening and took photographs of the buildings. The Commissioner General is on a monthly salary of Six Thousand Dollars (current exchange rate of Le 3,000 multiply by 12 months) is earning $72,000 (Seventy Two Thousand Dollars). Under the PAYE Scheme, he is expected to pay tax and NASSIT, which means his take home pay, is less $72,000 (Seventy Two Thousand Dollars)

Since, Mr. Alieu Sesay was appointed Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority; revenue generation in the country is not only ridiculous, but laughable.  Sources at State House say anytime President Koroma wanted to stretch his muscles against the Commissioner General, some of Mr. Sesay’s beneficiaries like Mr. Alie Fornah of the Association for Rural Development (ARD) at Liverpool Street would prostrate in front of the President begging him to temper justice with mercy.

The situation is getting worse by the tick of the clock as donors are reportedly threatening to hold on to funding if the internal revenue generation is not improved. The million dollar question is how can the internal revenue generation be improved when importers are aggrieved, funds are allegedly diverted to private projects, importers are harassed to part with building materials to appease the Commissioner General  and help him in his building projects and more.