Drivers warned against non-receipted government transactions

By Samuel Balagadde

Cargo transporters have been warned against payment of non receipted monies to government institutions as they will be charged with facilitating corruption.

This follows repeated accusations against government agencies including the Police, Uganda Revenue Authority and Uganda National Roads Authority for frustrating trade because of the conditions they impose on transporters.

Philip Marial, the chairman ofSouth Sudan Business Community, said cargo drivers demandexorbitant sums of money in order to have something to dish away to URA customs officials, UNRA at the weighbridges and the traffic police.

Drivers allege that this is increasing the cost of doing business.

This was said during the stakeholders meeting on bribery, along the transport corridors as a non-tariff barrier to trade by Transparency International.

However, Bryon Kinene, the chairman of Regional Lorry Drivers and Transporters Association said some unscrupulous drivers take advantage of the ignorance of the transporters to fleece them of money in disguise of giving it to government agencies.

William Busuulwa, the chairman of Uganda National Transporters Association said URA is blamed for releasing overloaded cargo trucks which end up being intercepted at UNRA weighbridges for nonconformity to axle load regulations.