URA remains optimistic of achieving revenue targets
Men and women in a queue at Uganda Revenue Authority offices in Kampala. URA only has approximately 10 days within which it will have to close the deficit. PHOTO | FILE
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has said, it remains optimistic that by the end of June, which closes the 2021/22 financial year, it would have collected at least Shs2 trillion to achieve the set target.
In a speech delivered during the East African Community Post Tax and Budget dialogue, in Kampala yesterday, Mr John Musinguzi, the URA commissioner general, said government set a target of Shs22.4 trillion, out of which Shs20.5 trillion has so far been collected.
“We are optimistic that … we are going to achieve it [target]. As of Monday this week we were at Shs20.5 trillion. We need only about Shs2 trillion to finish the year successfully,” he said, noting that a number of simplified and automated processes have supported tax payers in many ways that has seen an improvement in voluntary compliance.
However, URA has since the year begun posted a number of collection deficits, which have impacted the earlier set target.
The deficits, notwithstanding some surpluses, have been occasioned by a slowdown in economic activity, dampened by a surge in commodity prices and Covid-19 after effects.
Mr Musinguzi said during the year, URA had worked on a number of innovations such as auto conversion of customs declaration to combat dumping, expanded the National Electronic Single Window Platform to accommodate 21 more process managers, and instituted a 24-hour Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, which have gone a long way in simplifying tax payment.
Other innovations, he said, include adoption of mobile tax offices, among others with the view of improving access to revenue services in areas where there are no permanent offices.
URA only has approximately 10 days within which it will have to close the deficit. The 2021/22 financial year will end on June 30.
