By: Nyima Sillah
Wrapping up the ATAF training with journalists across Africa, tax officials from different African countries assured partnership with journalists.
The two-day engagement organized by ATAF concluded with an insightful decision that widened the relationship between tax administrators and journalists across Africa.
Head of Corporate and Public Affairs, Gambia Revenue Authority, Ousman Bah, stated that the just concluded engagement with media will smoothen the relationship between tax administrators and journalists to maintain an open engagement based on trust and timely sharing of information for public consumption.
“We will all work together to provide credible and timely information to the public, to improve our brand, integrity, and credibility. All these will lead to greater efficiency. This will lead to improvement in our collections, hence the need for greater returns in terms of development and the fulfillment of the social contract by our governments,” Bah emphasized.
He suggested the need for tax administrations to support journalists through capacity building in areas of tax reporting and effective advocacy.
Communication Lead, Content and Media Relations at Tax Justice Network Africa, Mercy Kamau, stated that breaking barriers in tax communication requires a culture of transparency and collaboration, citing journalists can play a pivotal role in simplifying the complex issues surrounding taxes and Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM), making them more relatable and engaging for the public.
“Tax administrators should move away from being gatekeepers of information to proactive sharing accurate, timely data with the media. Creating an open channel of communication between the media and tax authorities will foster greater trust and improve public understanding of why taxes matter,” she added. “This partnership is crucial in combating tax avoidance and building strong, sustainable tax systems that benefit everyone.”
She further stated that they hope the training will “spark” ongoing collaboration and lead to meaningful improvements in how tax policies are communicated, helping to build stronger, more equitable tax systems across Africa.
Albert Lavaly Jr, Supervisor at the Public Affairs and Tax Education Unit within the Legal and Corporate Services Department, National Revenue Authority, Sierra Leone, asserted that the concluded engagement will further create an environment that will strengthen the relationship between them and the media, especially in their role in popularizing tax laws, reforms, and procedures in a bid to enhance compliance.
“It will also amplify our readiness to partner with the media to ensure that they support us in collecting the required revenue,” he opined while emphasizing the significance of building relationships between tax administrators and journalists.
