Government institutions partner to widen tax base

PIC:Commissioner for Urban Administration Department at Ministry of Local Government Justinian Niwagaba and Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Doris Akol during a press conference on widening the tax base at Hotel African September 1, 2016. Photos/ Mary Kansiime

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) commissioner general Doris Akol has said that four government institutions under the collaboration, Tax Payer Expansion Program (TREP) are partnering to widen taxi base.

They include Uganda Registration Services Bureau, the Capital City Authority Uganda Revenue Authority and Ministry of local government.

Speaking during a press conference at Hotel Africana on Thursday morning, Akol said that different categories of taxes and fees have been administered under TREP and they include presumptive tax, withholding tax, rental tax, local service tax, and business name and company registration among others.

She also noted TREP involves business people in different categories like general trade, whole sale and retail, hardware and rental. She also said that TREP will benefit people who have never registered their businesses or paid taxes to the central government.

Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Doris Akol and Register General of Uganda Registration Service Bureau Bemanya Twebaze at Hotel African ahead of the press conference.

 
Akol said that TREP program has realized sh47.6 billion in revenue since joint operations begun at the beginning of the financial year 2015/16.She also noted that more than 134,332 tax payers have been registered under the program since July this year.

The Commissioner also said that registering one's business with URA and Uganda Registration Services Bureau has a number of benefits that include, giving tax credits, obtaining legal status, safeguarding business among others.

Justinian Niwagaba, commissioner for urban administration in ministry of local government was optimistic that once the program is taken up; there shall be increased revenue hence improved service delivery to citizens. "We have no doubt local revenue will probably improve," said Niwagaba.

He also revealed that the ministry wants to expedite passing of law on commercial farmers so that they come on board on local service tax.

Ezra Ssebuwufu, the Kampala Capital City Authority(KCCA) revenue collections manager said that many businesses fail because their owners certainly don't know how to formalize them.

He also unearthed that clients will be trained on different issues in business transactions like record keeping, balancing income and expenditures among others. We want to give a lot of benefits to our clients", said Ssebuwufu.