Engage more tax agents, EAZ urges ZRA

Association president Isaac Ngoma said to increase tax revenue the ZRA should consider engaging agents countrywide, adding that this could also increase efficiency in the collection of revenue.

“ZRA needs to be further decentralised by involving agents in the collection of revenue, this has worked very well in other countries,” Mr Ngoma said.

Mr Ngoma said the lack of a clear system and ability to collect sufficient tax was because of the centralisation of revenue collection.

He said ZRA should create capacity with Government wings like the local authorities to collect taxes and other non-tax revenue on its behalf.

Mr Ngoma said looking at the 2014 Budget, the donor space was being eliminated, hence the need for the country to position itself to capture more revenue to fund various development projects the Government had embarked on.

He urged Government to support the growth of the private sector by providing conducive environment.

Mr Ngoma said there was also need to further diversify exports beyond copper and other minerals, saying some agricultural products fetched more than copper when exported.

He said this would reduce Government borrowing in that, the country would be able to mobilise sufficient revenue and sustain external debt which he said had been accumulating rapidly for the past years.

Times of Zambia