MONROVIA, Montserrado – Dozens of students of the Domfah Academic Professional Institute in Lower Johnsonville last Thursday stormed the grounds of the Liberia Revenue Authority demanding authorities release their school materials reportedly in its possession.

According to Sekou Konneh, Logistics Officer of Domfah International, an International NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland, five computers in addition to other accessories were brought to Liberia via Brussels Air for the institution.

Konneh said upon the arrival of school materials at the Roberts International Airport, authorities of the institution asked the LRA for duty waiver but instead the materials were seized.

Sekou Konneh, Logistics Officer of Domfah International. Photo: Zeze Ballah

“I was informed by authorities of the LRA that the materials can not be released to the school because they [the LRA] are not sure whether the computers and other accessories belong to the Domfah Academic Professional Institution,” Konneh said.

Konneh said that after several attempts to release the computers from the LRA, they were told to write the Director of the LRA, Elfreda Tamba.

A letter in the possession of The Bush Chicken written by Konneh dated April 27 and addressed to the LRA Director reads, “I write to ask your honorable office to please grant my philanthropic Non-Governmental Organization duty waiver on five computers that were donated to Domfah Academic Professional Institution by our international partners in Switzerland.”

Konneh said all attempts to have the school materials released from the LAR have failed. “We were compelled to bring the students on the grounds of the Liberia Revenue Authority to register their protest to Director Tamba,” Konneh said.

Students of Domfah Academy protest in front of the LRA building. Photo: Zeze Ballah

“These students are opting for computer education in this technology world and that is the reason they are peacefully protesting,” Konneh said.

Konneh said that he was also informed by the LRA office that its legal committee was reviewing his letter to make a determination on the duty waiver.

LRA Director Elfreda Tamba. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Addressing the students and their authorities, Tambah said she has not received any letter from them. She said that she will report the action of the school’s authorities to the Ministry of Education for having the students in the street protesting.

Tamba also said the action of the institution’s authorities was not in the right direction. “This issue does not need to go any further and we will take the action as soon as I receive the institution’s letter,” said Tamba.

The LRA was established to administer and enforce revenue laws for the purpose of assessing, collecting, auditing and accounting for all national revenues, and to facilitate legitimate international trade and customs border management enforcement.