PSFU wants govt to fast track Dar railway route
May 31, 2009
THE Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) wants the Government to fast track the development of the rail route from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza in Tanzania to Portbell in Kampala.
By David Muwanga
THE Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) wants the Government to fast track the development of the rail route from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza in Tanzania to Portbell in Kampala.
“This should be an alternative means of transit for Uganda’s import and export cargo at the East African Community level.
“The Government should also urgently develop the Portbell and the Jinja piers,†Gerald Ssendaula, the foundation’s chairman, argued.
The former finance minister also challenged the Government to expedite the replacement of MV Kabalega water vessel and identify roads for reconstruction and rehabilitation.
These were some of the proposals PSFU presented to the finance minister Syda Bbumba as the priority issues that should be addressed in the next financial year.
Ssendaula urged the Government to reinstate the diesel tax waiver for businesses especially in rural areas and implement the laying of the optic fibre cable to reduce the cost of data transmission.
He also called for the need to fast-track the pensions sector reforms, expedite recapitalisation of the Uganda Development Bank, offer incentives to financiers who lend to the agriculture sector and reintroduce export guarantee scheme.
He said the Government should also promote growth of capital investments by reducing corporate tax for firms that list on the Uganda Stock Exchange from 30% to 25% since Kenya and Tanzania had already implemented the incentive.
He said the budget should waive corporate tax on firms with new products that add value to agricultural products and are located 30km outside Kampala.
Members also asked the Government to fast-track the completion and enactment of the Counterfeits Bill, commercial laws, establishment of regional industrial parks and waive Civil Aviation Authority charges on export cargo that would reduce freight costs.
They proposed that the Pay As You Earn threshold be increased from sh130,000 to sh250,000, value added tax threshold be increased to sh100m, and reduce value added tax to 16%.
“In order to widen the tax base, the Government should implement the identifier project to improve records for national and residents to support tax compliance and explore the possibility of URA working with the private sector in the collection of rental tax.â€
They asked for time bond measures should be implemented to help Ugandan firms not collapse.
“The Government should implement the measures to which the private sector has no control (like energy) and the private sector implement what it has control over (like production).
“During the implementation of the measures, appropriate asymmetrical administrative procedures by the East African Community through government should be put in place to ensure firms do not collapse.â€
“The Government should establish a think-tank in order to mitigate the current global recession.â€
THE Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) wants the Government to fast track the development of the rail route from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza in Tanzania to Portbell in Kampala.
“This should be an alternative means of transit for Uganda’s import and export cargo at the East African Community level.
“The Government should also urgently develop the Portbell and the Jinja piers,†Gerald Ssendaula, the foundation’s chairman, argued.
The former finance minister also challenged the Government to expedite the replacement of MV Kabalega water vessel and identify roads for reconstruction and rehabilitation.
These were some of the proposals PSFU presented to the finance minister Syda Bbumba as the priority issues that should be addressed in the next financial year.
Ssendaula urged the Government to reinstate the diesel tax waiver for businesses especially in rural areas and implement the laying of the optic fibre cable to reduce the cost of data transmission.
He also called for the need to fast-track the pensions sector reforms, expedite recapitalisation of the Uganda Development Bank, offer incentives to financiers who lend to the agriculture sector and reintroduce export guarantee scheme.
He said the Government should also promote growth of capital investments by reducing corporate tax for firms that list on the Uganda Stock Exchange from 30% to 25% since Kenya and Tanzania had already implemented the incentive.
He said the budget should waive corporate tax on firms with new products that add value to agricultural products and are located 30km outside Kampala.
Members also asked the Government to fast-track the completion and enactment of the Counterfeits Bill, commercial laws, establishment of regional industrial parks and waive Civil Aviation Authority charges on export cargo that would reduce freight costs.
They proposed that the Pay As You Earn threshold be increased from sh130,000 to sh250,000, value added tax threshold be increased to sh100m, and reduce value added tax to 16%.
“In order to widen the tax base, the Government should implement the identifier project to improve records for national and residents to support tax compliance and explore the possibility of URA working with the private sector in the collection of rental tax.â€
They asked for time bond measures should be implemented to help Ugandan firms not collapse.
“The Government should implement the measures to which the private sector has no control (like energy) and the private sector implement what it has control over (like production).
“During the implementation of the measures, appropriate asymmetrical administrative procedures by the East African Community through government should be put in place to ensure firms do not collapse.â€
“The Government should establish a think-tank in order to mitigate the current global recession.â€