The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has paid tribute to the clearing and forwarding agents in Zambia for improved tax compliance and service delivery in the export and import business.
ZRA Acting Commissioner General Moses Shuko said the authority is impressed with the competence levels and professionalism of most clearing agents who he said have been exemplary.
Mr. Shuko said clearing agents were very instrumental in the year 2018 for the ZRA to meet its revenue targets.
The Acting ZRA Commissioner General was speaking last evening at the international customs day awards ceremony in Lusaka.
Mr. Shuko has meanwhile challenged local clearing and forwarding agencies to continue improving their services so that they can get into the top 10 list of clearing and forwarding industry.
He disclosed that the top 10 clearing agencies have over 90 percent of the market share in terms of revenue mainly taken by international firms who have clear business systems.
And Commissioner for Customs Sydney Chibbabbuka said the international customs day is held annually to recognize the role of customs offices and agencies in collecting taxes, facilitating international trade and maintaining border security.
Mr. Chibbabbuka explained that the commemoration of the day also focuses on the challenges that both customs officers and clients face.
The international customs day was instituted by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in commemoration of the day in 1953 when the inaugural session of the customs cooperation council (CCC) was held in Brussels, Belgium with 17 Europeans countries in attendance.
Mr. Chibbabbuka disclosed that the membership has since grown to 179 from across the globe.
The event, which was dubbed SMART borders for seamless trade, travel and transport, also witnessed the awarding of customs officers and institutions that have contributed to the success of the revenue authority.
Among the recipients of the certificates of merit was a customs officer, Tobias Njovu who managed to intercept 11 trucks laden with Mukula tree in South Africa and eventually brought back the smuggled logs to Zambia.
Clearing Agents are corrupt and take bribes every day.
Their bosses who are praising them even more so.
Clearly you haven’t read or understood the article!
ZRA has allowed Chinese and Tanzanians to open and operate clearing companies in Zambia thereby killing the local clearing agents who are not able to pick up business from the Port of Dar es salaam or China. Am sad.