In a bid to discourage the use of a parallel system and improving compliance within the implementation of the Electronic Cash Register (ECR) the National Revenue Authority has on Tuesday 23rd March 2022 had a fruitful meeting with business people on ECR systems integration with existing business software infrastructure.
Since the implementation of the Electronic Cash Register, the NRA has had a challenge interfacing with structured software based business technology operating under the GST regime. The situation has somewhat limited the compliance rate from GST taxpayers who have a challenge of readily altering their existing business infrastructure to accommodate the NRA system.
“We cannot ask the business people to abandon their systems; all we want to see is how the NRA’s system arrangement can fit into whatever system they operate with”, said Dr. Ibrahim Sorie Kamara.
Dr. Ibrahim Sorie Kamara further explained the restraints exercised by the authority regarding penalty every time a deadline are breached. A case in point is the expiration date for systems integration which was on the 15th March, 2022. Because the NRA believes so much in engaging its taxpayers, the meeting discussed the challenges slowing down the integration drive, some of which are mostly technical. Even though some of the cases are clearly operational; Dr. Kamara encouraged taxpayers to support the integration drive by fast-tracking the integration process.
James B. Tengbeh the ECR Project Lead, emphasized the importance of the integration which he said will eliminate financial wastage as well as save time, the reason why according to him it should be embraced. It was clear there were apprehensions from taxpayers regarding security compromise when a system security infrastructure is open to a third party. These were concerns that have been dealt with on the path of the suppliers said James Tengbeh, Project Lead ECR.
Because the discussions were fruitful, the NRA and the taxpayers agreed on a reasonable period under which the integration will take place. Taxpayers who were present are to comply with the new deadline which is slated to be at the end of April 2022.
Many of the taxpayers applauded the NRA for exhibiting magnanimity even when they have not kept to the initial deadline for the integration. The NRA continues to engage relevant stakeholders, in the implementation of the Electronic Cash Register.
