Friday, March 29, 2024

Tax Revenue Contributing 68.4% to national Budget- Yamba

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Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba

Zambia’s tax revenue has over the last 3 years been contributing an average of 68.4% to the national budget.

And Secretary to the treasury Fredson Yamba says in order to increase this contribution, there is need for government to continue supporting progressive ideas that enhance efficiency and productivity in revenue collection.

Speaking at the permanent secretaries’ tax education workshop organized by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) in Lusaka today, Mr. Yamba notes that the role of ZRA in optimizing tax revenue collection on behalf of the government cannot be over emphasized in as far as development is concerned.

He has urged permanent secretaries to familiarize themselves with the operations of ZRA so that they can act as change agents for the many reforms that ZRA is undertaking to enhance its operational efficiency.

Mr. Yamba explains that the two new ZRA ICT business systems called Taxoline and Asycuda world which provide for a self service platform for the tax payers if utilized fully will improve service delivery, reduce cost of compliance for the authority and provide access to a 24 hour self service e platform to tax payers.

He adds that it is his hope that the sensitization of the general public by the ZRA will achieve its objective of increasing the uptake of the new electronic systems.

Mr. Yamba has further urged the permanent secretaries to support the overall reform program of government which is aimed at achieving efficiency of the public service so as to promote sustainable growth of the economy.

Meanwhile, Government has congratulated the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for successfully securing convictions of 16 retailers of Livingstone, Lusaka, Ndola & Kitwe who failed to use cash registers and issue tax invoices in the course of selling goods and services to the public.

Out of the 16, 4 were businesses from Livingstone who were also penalized a total of K16, 000, 3 were from LUSAKA AND were penalized a total of K7, 200 while in Ndola there were 2 and were penalized a total of K3, 800 with Kitwe having 7 businesses that were penalized a total of K10, 800.

Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba says the securing of the convictions that happened between 29th April and 25th June this year is a sign that the ZRA has strengthened the enforcement of the Cash Register & Invoice Enforcement (CRIPE) Program.

Mr. Yamba has since urged ZRA to enhance tax education in addition to sustaining surveillance and tax compliance programs while ensuring that all offenders are swept and taken to court for relevant remedial action.

He has also reminded people in the country that they have a duty to demand a receipt or tax invoice whenever they purchase a good or service from any eligible retailer, wholesaler, trader and business.

This is contained in a statement made available to Qfm News by Ministry of Finance Public Relations Officer Chileshe Kandeta.

5 COMMENTS

  1. Tax Revenue collected has never been the problem. It is People with no ideas and crooked fingers pocketing that said revenue that are the problem.

  2. The next step is to widen the tax collection catchment areas. MINES could take us up to 200%, Hon. Yamba! Cash registers are small fry!

  3. One side of the story only. The other side is to show us who chews what percentage of this tax income, then, you can see where the real problem is.

  4. Mr. Yamba, can you also tell us percentage of Tax Revenue utilized for:
    1. Cost of direct and indirect financial benefits of the President, VP, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, various “advisers” and “assistants” to the Cabinet Members? and
    2. Cost of Civil Service (Excluding what stated under 1)?

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