The Ministry of Energy has been castigated by the Auditor General’s Report for failing to pay withholding taxes to the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
The NRA is the agency charged with the responsibility of collecting revenues for the government.
The Auditors had pointed out in the report that the Ministry, in October,2009 had violated Section 110(2) of the constitution of Sierra Leone which required them to seek the authority of Parliament in a situation where they need to waive or vary a tax on any business entity.
The 2018 Report had disclosed withholding taxes amounting to Le 1,083,167,880 which the report said, were not paid to NRA. These were payments made to Salini Construction for the operation and maintenance of the Bumbuna Hydro Power Station based on the contract signed.
The report also says the Ministry of Energy had failed to produce a parliamentary approval exempting Salini Construction SPA from the payment of taxes in contravention of section 110.