By BUUMBA CHIMBULU in Chinsali
THE K11 million Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) provincial office for Muchinga is earmarked to open doors to taxpayers next month.
President Edgar Lungu is expected to officially open the provincial offices in Chinsali for the tax services A local contractor Invest Corp, was engaged to construct the offices. The overall objective is to ensure that ZRA provides tax services to taxpayers so that it is easy for them to plan, says ZRA Commissioner General, Kingsley Chanda.
Mr Chanda told reporters in Chinsali yesterday after touring the building that the objective was to have provincial ZRA offices in each provincial headquarters. He explained that a similar facility had been opened in Mongu and that construction of another building in Choma would start next year. “Our mission here is to look at our new offices here in Chinsali this will be our Muchinga Provincial headquarters.
We intend to establish our full complimentary service which is direct, indirect taxes and customs. “Our overall objective is to provide tax services to our tax payers and so we are as close as possible for tax payers to comply. We are very proud of ZRA establishing this offices in this province we hope they will be motivated,” Mr Chanda said. On engaging local contractors, Mr Chanda said ZRA was keen to work and encourage them. “We want to encourage local contractors as much as possible we want to be engaging local suppliers and contractors” he said. ZRA Director Administration, Callistus Kaoma, said the cost of the building had increased to K10.9 million due to material processing fluctuations and Covid-19, among others.
Mr Kaoma explained that the initial total cost of the project was K8.7 million. “There were some variation and additional works we initiated and also motivated by the expansion of the offices as it would include customs services which is direct and indirect taxes so the overall cost is K10.9 million,” he said. Invest Corp Project Manager, Moses Nachula, said the construction was at 98 percent completion.
“We have taken nine months on this project and I must say that we are at 98 percent, the remaining two percent is just for clean ups It we will be done within one week. “Covid-19 affected the project especially with material. The project was supposed to be completed in December 2020 so we asked for this extension,” Mr Nachula said.
