Zambian contractors says 2027 Budget the best

By ROGERS KALERO

THE Zambian Contractors Advisory Centre (ZCAC) has welcomed the 2027 national budget, describing it as one of the best the country has ever produced because it was focusing on generating the revenue, using local domestic taxes and private sector participation 

ZCAC Chief Executive Officer, Nsofwa Mwamba said the budget that depend on external funding has strings attached, which in most cases, does not favour the country’s interests in many developmental instances

In the analysis of the ZCAC, Eng. Mwamba described the 2027 budget as a budget of liberty for the country as it will provide freedom for prudent spending and self-scrutiny of what was going in and out

“Consequently, as a developing country, we require this type of budget more often than before, for us, to attain self-reliance and financial stability going forward. 

“In light of this, the budget calls for serious commitment for all citizens and the government in general to avoid unnecessary spending for it to succeed, and it must succeed,’’ Eng. Mwamba said

Eng. Mwamba said the role of suppliers, contractors and manufacturers was to ensure that they met all statutory obligations by paying off all whatever they owe to statutory bodies, saying the path has already been set by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) through Extended Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (EVDS) 

“Our call for all contractors, suppliers and manufacturers is to ensure we take this initiative seriously and clean up our books of accounts before time runs out.

“Our appeal goes to statutory bodies like National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA), Zambia Environmental Management Agency and others to emulate what the ZRA has done so that we start 2027 on a good note,’’ he said

 He said ZCAC would like to extend the gratitude to ZRA and the team as well as the Ministry of Finance for the support the Center has been receiving during the EVDS period

“Since this budget demands a wider revenue collection, our advice to ZRA and the government was to give a tax clearance to all suppliers and contractors whether they owe government with whatever amount

“This gist behind it, is to send each and every supplier and contractor to work so that,as a government you get the principals  amount and other taxes attached to that business,’’ he said

Ends.