Thu, 08 Feb 2018 07:45:48 +0000
By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has started rolling out the Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) to Lusaka and Copperbelt meant to improve domestic resource mobilisation by monitoring all transactions which attract value added tax (VAT) in shops.
Ministry of Finance this week released K123.1 million for operations and expenditure on the pilot of the EFDs programme expected to create a sustained pool of the tax revenues needed to facilitate the financing of Government operations once fully implemented.
These devices are facilities that will enable ZRA to have direct access and connectivity to details being undertaken by various transactions that attract among other taxes, VAT.
According to ZRA corporate communications manager, Topsy Sikalinda, the authority had started the implementation of the pilot phase of the EFDs programme.
Mr. Sikalinda said in an interview that the authority was at the same time training traders on how to use the gadgets.
He said ZRA had so far trained over 600 traders from Lusaka and Copperbelt.
“So far, over 600 traders have been trained on how to use the gadgets. That is for Lusaka and Copperbelt and we will continue training more. We have also started giving out the devices for the pilot phase in Lusaka and Copperbelt,
“We have to start training as we give out the devices, we also give them full support in this period so that they are aware of the process, we are there to guide them on the system to make sure they are comfortable with it,” Mr. Sikalinda said.
Recently ZRA commissioner general, Kingsley Chanda said ZRA was targeting to roll out 2, 000 EFDs which would enable the authority to monitor transactions on real time.
“We have already started testing, the equipment is in and we will start with the first 2,000. Our plan is to fiscalise the whole country by first quarter of 2018 and we expect to see additional revenue collection from that exercise,” Mr. Chanda said.
