Members of the business community at the border and Uganda at large have been advised to pay tax and save the country from the donor-related pressures exerted in the country.
Geoffrey Wandera the Busia district chairperson said if the traders meet their obligations of paying tax, they will enable the country to finance its planned activities for the 2018-19 financial year.
“You can save our country from the dictatorship and strings imposed by the donor community to us because of contributing to our budget,” Wandera said.
He was recently speaking in Busia during a tax education sensitization meeting in Busia town.
Wandera noted that enhanced tax collection will enable the government to increase funding to the districts so as to enable them to efficiently and effectively deliver services to the Ugandans.
“You all know that districts rely on funding from the center,” he said adding without funds from the central government the districts cannot operate.
Busia Mayor Hassan Opio appealed to the business community to give the municipality what belongs to it and do the same thing to Uganda revenue authority.
He commended the URA staff for being accessible all the time and encouraged traders to go to their offices and get whatever information they need on tax.
Godfrey Malombo the district chairperson Uganda chamber of commerce cautioned members of the business community against smuggling saying it deprives the government of the much-needed revenue.
He advised the small traders to join the cross-border traders association (CBTA) and benefit from the simplified trade regimes put in place by COMMESA.
He said COMMESA has put trader desk information officers at the border to help small traders whose capital is less 2000 US dollar.
The manager domestic department asked traders to register their business and get Tax identification numbers (TIN) to facilitate their trade.
Views: 3
