The untarred road is a vital link that serves as a gateway for communities between the border posts. It shortens international travel across that part of the border for commuters shuttling between Kambia in Sierra Leone and Guinea. Because the road is in a horrible state of disrepair, commuters now use other unapproved entry points along the border to connect to better roads and in most cases they avoid paying duties on their goods and thus make the state lose substantial revenue annually.
Investigations conducted by this press states that some business people are currently finding it difficult to transport their goods to and from Sierra Leone, thereby causing a great setback in revenue collection.
Report states that 90% of customable goods going through Gbalamuya Customs Post are from Piltu’s Clearing and Forwarding Company. “He is willing to face customs at all times, and he has paid billions of Leones to NRA as tax,” officials says, noting that he needs to be encouraged, because “if he stops now doing business now the Customs Post at Gbalamuya will be nothing”.
Customs Officials and Business people are of the opinion that if immediate steps are not taken to fix the horrible road in Guinea the Revenue Authority at the Gbalamuya border would not achieve their revenue target.
The commitment of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to raise revenue of the government is been commended, especially so when the government is using local revenue to enhance infrastructure development.
In spite of these successes, the Authority is challenged with the unwillingness of some business and private individuals and entities refusing to meet their tax obligations. Through its rebranding under the leadership of Commissioner Haja Kallah Kamara, the NRA has not relented in strengthening its tax collection network, which is why its Officials at the Gbalamuya Customs Post are currently doing their best to raise money for the country through tax collection.
In spite of these successes, the Customs Post is not only challenged with illegal porous border activities perpetrated by smugglers, it is also constrained with bad roads from Guinea leading to the Customs Post, which is affecting revenue collection.
Report reaching this press states that the Government of Sierra Leone, through its bi-lateral relationship with the Republic of Guinea and as a sister country in the Mano River Union Basin, decided to extent the Rogbere Junction-Kambia Highway with some six miles in Guinea. The Guinean Authorities on the other are currently working out modalities to construct their battered roads leading to the Customs Post.
