Business
URA strengthens risk management to protect revenue
The training, organised by Chartered Risk Management Professionals (CRMP) Uganda in partnership with PECB, equipped members of URA’s Strategy and Risk Management team with skills to apply international risk management standards.
Anthony Mwandha, the President, Certified Risk Management Professionals (CRMP) (far left), Commissioner, Uganda Revenue Authority Tax Academy, John Katungwesi (third from left), Commissioner, Strategy and Risk Management, Charles Kizito (fourth from left), Allan Amanya (CMRP) and trainer (second left), Ketra Birungi (Board Chair, CRMP) (Right). (Photo by Nickson Turyahikayo)
By: Rose Akello, Journalist @New Vision
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The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is stepping up efforts to strengthen risk management as it seeks to protect revenue and improve institutional performance.
The training, organised by Chartered Risk Management Professionals (CRMP) Uganda in partnership with PECB, equipped members of URA’s Strategy and Risk Management team with skills to apply international risk management standards.
The Commissioner of Strategy and Risk Management, Charles Kizito, said risk management must move beyond paperwork and become part of everyday decision-making.
“This ISO is not about filling registers, but about better decisions on revenue mobilisation, taxpayer service, the technology, and the people,” Kizito said.
He said risks faced by URA have wider implications because the authority plays a critical role in financing government services.
“The risks that we undertake to manage as an organisation are risks that we are managing on behalf of Ugandans,” he said.
Kizito was speaking during the conclusion of an ISO 31000 Lead Risk Management Certification training at URA headquarters in Kampala.
The Commissioner of URA Tax Academy, John Katungwesi, said every staff member should take responsibility for identifying and managing risks.
“The risks that we undertake to manage as an organisation are risks that we are managing on behalf of Ugandans,” he said.
Kizito was speaking during the conclusion of an ISO 31000 Lead Risk Management Certification training at URA headquarters in Kampala.
The Commissioner of URA Tax Academy, John Katungwesi, said every staff member should take responsibility for identifying and managing risks.
“Our biggest risk control as an organisation is integrity,” Katungwesi said.
He urged the trained officers to ensure identified risks are followed up and treated instead of repeatedly appearing in reports without action, saying risk management should become part of every staff member’s responsibility.
CRMP Uganda president, Anthony Mwandha, said URA should take a leading role in advancing risk management practice, given its significant financial exposure and mandate to collect revenue for Government.
He proposed that at least 20% of the authority’s workforce of about 5,000 people could eventually be trained and certified to strengthen risk awareness across the institution.
The programme was based on the ISO 31000:2018 risk management standard and culminated in a PECB certification examination.
The initiative is expected to strengthen URA’s risk intelligence and support better decision-making across revenue mobilisation, taxpayer services, technology and human resource management.
He urged the trained officers to ensure identified risks are followed up and treated instead of repeatedly appearing in reports without action, saying risk management should become part of every staff member’s responsibility.
CRMP Uganda president, Anthony Mwandha, said URA should take a leading role in advancing risk management practice, given its significant financial exposure and mandate to collect revenue for Government.
He proposed that at least 20% of the authority’s workforce of about 5,000 people could eventually be trained and certified to strengthen risk awareness across the institution.
The programme was based on the ISO 31000:2018 risk management standard and culminated in a PECB certification examination.
The initiative is expected to strengthen URA’s risk intelligence and support better decision-making across revenue mobilisation, taxpayer services, technology and human resource management.