LRA Deepens Media Partnership to Empower Journalists on Tax Reporting

By: Anthony Q. Jiffan, Jr

MONROVIA – In a decisive move to strengthen public understanding of taxation and revenue generation, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), in partnership with the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), has launched a media training on taxation and revenue reporting.

The two-day event is currently underway in Katata City, Maigibi County, from August 11–12, bringing together 30 journalists primarily from Montserrado and Maigibi Counties.

This landmark event marks a significant milestone in the LRA’s ongoing effort to reshape its engagement with the media and the public.

According to D. Kaihinneh Sengbeh, Communication Media and Public Affairs Manager of the LRA, speaking on behalf of Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, the training represents more than a professional development opportunity it’s a turning point in the relationship between the LRA and the Liberian media.

“This gathering is significant for many reasons,” Sengbeh stated. “It is only the second media training the LRA has organized in its 11-year history and the second in this year alone. That speaks volumes about how seriously we take media engagement in 2025.”

Sengbeh indicated that the first of such trainings occurred just months ago in Western Liberia, bringing together nearly 30 journalists from Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, and Bomi Counties. These efforts, he emphasized, are part of a broader LRA strategy to build a corps of well-informed, capable media professionals who can report accurately and responsibly on tax issues.

“We are not just collecting revenue,” Sengbeh said. “We are building a network of informed media partners to tell the Liberian tax story clearly, accurately, and consistently.”

“Our mission is simple but powerful,” Sengbeh noted. “We want journalists to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to report on revenue and taxation with professionalism and depth. Without this understanding, we risk widening the information gap that already exists between policymakers and the public.”

Referencing the knowledge gap theory in communication, Sengbeh stressed that journalists must be among the “first understanders” of taxation matters so they can help make complex tax policy accessible to all Liberians.

Also speaking at the training, Press Union of Liberia President, Julius Kanubah, emphasized the importance of this initiative in bridging Liberia’s tax literacy gap.

“In Liberia, there’s little media literacy and advocacy around taxation,” Kanubah noted. “There’s also a noticeable lack of reporting on tax issues. This training, therefore, aims to close that gap by empowering journalists with the tools to inform, educate, and advocate effectively.”

The PUL president praised the LRA for its vision and direct investment in local capacity-building, calling the training “a small but meaningful step in the right direction.”

Participants will engage in sessions covering customs and domestic tax systems, Media ethics in tax reporting, practical exercises in development and tax journalism, and the role of the journalist as an advocate and public educator.

As the LRA sets its sights on reaching a historic $1 billion in revenue collection, initiatives like this one signal a broader institutional shift one that recognizes the power of communication and public trust in achieving national development goals.