The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) is concerned with the low confidence levels shown in local technological solutions by Zambian industries .
ZRA Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda says most Zambian industries and ICT service Providers import technological solutions and other accessories at the cost of local job creation and Foreign exchange preservation.
Mr Chanda says his organization has an ICT budget of one hundred million Kwacha annually most of which goes to Foreign Service providers at the expense of local Electronic engineers.
The Commissioner says there’s need for Zambians to start developing and utilizing the capable human resource in universities to create technological solutions for use in local institutions.
Mr. CHANDA says this measure would create a pipeline for job creation for the skilled information and communication graduates apart from creating the nation’s own intellectual property.
He was speaking during the signing of a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ZRA and the Copper belt university (CBU) in Kitwe on the development of a Local TAX administration system .
The program is aimed at developing solutions to enhance tax administration as well as reducing the cost of compliance by the tax payers.
And speaking at the same function CBU Vice Chancellor Dr Shadreck Chama said the university will provide a system that will easily trigger tax audits to ensure proper management of revenue documents.
Dr Chama added that the MOU is a clear testimony of the confidence that the industry has in the unique strength and leadership that CBU has in ICT development, education and research.
During the signing ceremony students took time to show case their various inventions on information and Communication technology (ICT).
Most of these products focused on the promotion of E business in the Small medium enterprise which is in line with the government policy on E commerce.
The students also demonstrated their skills in Electronic engineering.
Very sensible!
All our Graduates just want to seek employment instead of creating companies and finding solutions to our problems. Mindset need to change starting with the university curriculum!!
Glad Chanda is saying this. We implore his wise speech correlate with practical public policy enforcement unfortunately missing YoY. The dividends from cultivating IT skills and solutions in today’s economy is priceless. Many highly skilled and experienced professionals of Zambian nationality in the diaspora are ready to help in a grand scale KT drive into the local markets. Our young Universities need this support resulting in opportunities for many. We could see simplicity, scalability and speed missing in our economy.
How can they create without financial support? In the US colleges and universities get grants from the Federal government for research projects. These projects results in invention and creation.
Well done Mr Chanda! Bravo Commissioner!!!!!!
Yes well said Mr chanda but this is a far cry when the corrupt theif in state house is only after bribes at the expense of Zambians…..like when he awarded the 3rd slot to the lebanses of lamise in the RATSA traffic management deal instead of creating a consortium of Zambian bussiness leaders , engineers and universities.
It in Zambia evolved from the local engineers.
Remember the roots of ZAMNET.
Very few, if any, can beat the Engineers and Technology at Zamtel.
I know some accomplished IT Engineers who have moved the world from West Africa, the Caribbean and even the states. Talk of Eng. Leader Sokesi, Eng. Danstan Chola, Eng. Kasenge Bwalya to just name a few.
but CBU are very funny ,students are currently having difficulties using their online and they claim capacity to invent for other companies.Ask those under distance how difficult it is to activate a payment and register .this is laughable
Let’s start here. Let those that want to put their money where their mouths are support our graduates and research institutions instead of just lampooning them while under the same breath complaining about foreigners coming in on the space. Mind you those foreign companies also started somewhere – precisely with their governments and local firms giving them a chance, and an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Well done ZRA and CBU. Way to go!
Kingsley Chanda, congratulations for this decision. You see, Zambians have no problem praising you when you get it right. Let me not hear anyone say that Zambians are docile or stupid. Zambians are waiting for good leaders to serve them properly. Late Chiluba used to think that Zambians were docile and tried to tamper with the constitution. That was the tipping point and it later dawned on him that his assumptions had been wrong. There are many IT projects that do fail though. Students of corporate finance learn about the failure of the Taurus project to automate share trading on London Stock Exchange which failed terribly in the early 1990s. If this one fails, please learn some lessons from it.
Well done Kingsley Chanda the CG
kingsley chanda for president please!
That same Ascuda system that ZRA uses for its e-services is from India, it is not a Zambian program. So what then is this hypocrisy? Let ZRA start using one of the programs that these sharp CBU students have designed instead of using a very expensive and user unfriendly Ascuda system from India.