“We Have Closed Down Businesses Bigger Than Observer,” GRA Boss The GRA Commissioner General, Mr. Yankuba Darboe, has denied speculations that the decision to shut down Daily Observer was driven by the newspaper’s editorial policy. The Daily Observer is the country’s biggest media outlet and its publications are habitually critical of the new government.
The GRA boss was quoted as saying: “We have closed down businesses that are bigger than Observer for not being tax compliant but because it’s a media house there is too much outcry. People need to understand. We did everything possible to avoid this situation and I hope it’s resolved soonest.”
Commissioner Darboe said Observer can pay up at least 30% of the said money and then the remaining money can be paid on installment. Speaking to Eye Africa’s Ansumana S. O. Nyassi, he said the Authority had series of meetings with Observer’s past and current management during the past regime and at some point agreed on a payment plan for them to be paying on installment but after two months they stopped paying and no reasons were advanced as to why they defaulted on the agreement despite many attempts to resume the payment.
Meanwhile the issue of Observer’s legal ownership remains unclear. Preliminary investigations are leading to dead ends. Gainako continue to contact the ministry of information and Office of Procurement to establish the legal registration of the company. It is unfortunate, that many businesses like the observer were dubiously registered under the former regime all in efforts to hide revenue and evade tax payments and other liberties… We will continue to follow this story and will dwell more into the Daily Observer and many others as corporate citizens. Stay tuned..
MS Bah