Sierra Leone has been invited to join the ICT Tax Systems Technical Committee of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF). In a letter addressed to the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), the Executive Secretary of ATAF, Logan Wort, explained that the formation of the (ATAF) ICT Tax Systems Technical Committee followed the first “Expert Workshop” held in Pretoria, South Africa, from 5th-7th November, 2019.

The idea to establish the ICT Technical committee emanated from the ATAF/AfDB Project on Tax Systems in Africa, which aims at developing a “Guidebook and Model framework for efficient ICT systems” in Africa. The Committee will perform several functions, including:

i. providing guidance throughout the project upon request;
ii. assisting in the review of materials produced by ATAF concerning ICT and digitalization;
iii. assisting other ATAF member countries that might request for help in the areas of ICT and digitalization;
iv. and vetting all finalized project documents/deliverables.

According to Mr. Wort, The Committee will consist of ten countries, chosen from among ATAF Member States. These countries were selected based on several criteria including: Regional diversification, linguistic diversity and level of advancement in ICT in addition to qualification and expression of interest of experts to join the technical committee members.

Mr. Logan Wort has particularly nominated Mr. Gerald P. Ganda, the NRA’s Senior ICT Director, to join the ICT Tax Systems Technical Committee, “having demonstrated expertise of ICT issues in Africa”.

Endorsing his nomination, the NRA Commissioner General Dr. Samuel S. Jibao said Mr. Ganda "had long been an expert in ICT issues and has demonstrated this astutely, especially in the recent drive for the Authority’s modernization trajectory". He also wished the ATAF Committee a “successful path towards the development of a Guidebook and model framework for efficient ICT systems in Africa”.

The (ATAF) Secretariat works with all experts to ensure that they are well prepared for meetings and for representing ATAF at other global stages. As a result, Sierra Leone is expected to gain massively from the operations of the ATAF ICT Tax Systems Technical Committee; there are “opportunities both for personal development” and for the National Revenue Authority to “benefit from the technical discussions, policy interventions and updates on what is happening at a global level”.

Gerald P. Ganda: is the Senior Director of the Information and Communication Technology Department in the National Revenue Authority. He has over 25 years’ experience in the Information and Communication Technology at the strategic level in both private and public sectors. Mr. Ganda has a Master’s Degree in Business and Economics and a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. He is the technical lead in the introduction and maintenance of new systems at the NRA.