By Yusupha Jobe
Brikama Area Council (BAC) is experiencing decline in revenue collection due to Covid-19 outbreak, revealed senior official of the council.
The low revenue collection is a result of the coronavirus pandemic in the country in March because businesses within the council are being hard-hit by the outbreak of the virus.
Public Relations Officer, Lamin Singhateh told The Voice in an exclusive in his office on Thursday that “Logically the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in council’s revenue collection is undoubtedly impactful as the entire major source of our revenue collection areas were equally affected by the same pandemic. I can tell you most of the businesses are not coming to settle in their taxes and dues.”
“The hotels industries which also contribute a lot of revenue to the council were are affected by the virus, meaning they are also facing challenges in paying their taxes to the council. So, we are really impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic which has affected the revenue collection base of the council,” he added.
According to him, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country should not also serve as chance to businesses for not paying their dues and tax rates to the council adding that the council can only rely on its tax base to carry out development projects within the region.
“Yes, we have heard people voicing out their opinions that Brikama Area Council should have forgo the year 2020 for those paying tax due to the impact of coronavirus on their businesses. We understand very well the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses. But to be frank we cannot go on with some of our projects without the collection of rates and taxes.”
Yes, we equally do not need to force people to pay their taxes and rates knowing the impact of the pandemic on the entire livelihood of every citizen in the country. But to be truthful we cannot go as a council without the collection of taxes,” he added.
He dismissed allegation that the council is not responding to the difficulties of its electorates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “over 1, 000 bag of rice have been purchased by the council and distributed among the districts of the region.”
“People have their own opinion to say. But I can tell you that the council have recently purchased 2,000 bags of rice and distributed it among the district of the region. So, we cannot stop people from expression their opinion regarding the response of the council on her people due to the pandemic,” he said.