BY ARTHUR ARNOLD WADERO
The Parliamentary committee on finance has strongly dismissed the quest by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to establish a Shs35.302 Billion tax academy in which its staff will be trained.
Legislators on the committee opposed the request and advised the tax collector to instead focus energies and scale efforts on efficiently delivering on its mandate.
The money is among others meant to finance the purchase of land on which the academy is meant to be erected as revealed by the URA Commissioner General Mr John Musinguzi.
“The Tax Academy is a very important vision because it is the only way to impart skills among our staffs 24/7 to collect taxes better,” Mr Musinguzi said.
In response, the Woman MP of Napak District Ms Faith Nakut says it should save taxpayers’ money by collaborating with educational institutions in place to conduct the trainings.
“Do you want to open an institute? Isn’t ICPA enough, doesn’t ICPA train tax experts? Previously, you have trained a number of staff but you haven’t deployed them. Actually, those who benefitted from that training and haven’t received employment are the ones helping multi-nationals on tax avoidance and tax planning,” Ms Nakut said.
In a rejoinder, the shadow minister for Finance Mr Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi advised that create a working relationship with some universities and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) to equip URA with the requisite trainings and refresher courses deemed vital in execution of their work.
“Why don’t you combine and collaborate with Uganda Management Institute instead of us giving you money for a training institute. You will get better so that you concentrate on what you do better. We have so many Universities, you can collaborate with other Universities. Do you really need to have a training institute?” Mr Kivumbi wondered.
In its 2022/2023 budget framework presented to Parliament, the URA has already indicated at least Shs205.4 Billion will be splashed on salaries of its current staff alone. Already, the same entity is undertaking the recruitment process of hiring another 600 staff to enhance performance of their duties at the URA.
