AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR Revenue Board (ZRB) is devising sweeping measures to improve the country’s taxation regime and harness alliance between taxpayers and collectors.
“Tax collectors and payers should never allow enmity or hatred amongst themselves; they should always coexist affably,” the newly appointed ZRB Commissioner Salum Yusuf Ali told the media in an interview here recently.
Mr Salum, who boasts of vast experience in tax administration, said he is determined to transform the government revenues’ collection agency into a highly professional and successful institution.
He described skilled handling of existing and potential taxpayers as key to ZRB success.
“Tax collection is not a policing task; we have to nurture friendly relationships with our key stakeholders—taxpayers,” he said.
The ZRB boss reiterated sufficient revenue collection as his office’s top priority, arguing: “I have been entrusted with a highly sensitive institution, which attracts attention from every angle. I’m going to work thoughtfully to boost collections and plug all loopholes for any possible (revenue) leakage.”
Already, Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has promised a conducive business environment in the country, vowing to reduce taxes and employ efficient measures in collections.
Dr Mwinyi has publicly declared his reservations on multiple and exorbitant taxes, instead preferring low and friendly tax rates that attract many and voluntary taxpayers.
According to ZRB’s Public Relations and Taxpayer Services Manager, Shaaban Yahya Ramadhan, the agency collected 645bn/- in the 2020/2021 fiscal year, with tax and non-tax revenues contributing 516bn/- and 129bn/-, respectively.
The agency’s spokesperson appreciated the attractive tourism environment, effective anti-Covid 19 measures and improved collections systems as some of the reasons behind the impressive performance.
He further cited cordial working relationship between ZRB and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) as another catalyst for tax payment.
“Transparency and accountability within the government have boosted compliance in payment of taxes—wananchi today believe that whatever they pay will be appropriately spent on their social and economic development,” he said.
However, issuance of sale receipts remains a serious challenge in the Indian Ocean’s semi-autonomous archipelago as some dishonest traders attempt to conceal their sales.
But, the agency says through intensified public awareness campaigns all sellers and buyers will appreciate the importance of issuing and demanding receipts for every sale and purchase, respectively.
ZRB envisages rolling out the countrywide uses of Virtual Fiscal Devices (VFDs) in all business transactions in the country, effectively on Friday.
