TRA says traders misinformed on EFDs, launches major awareness campaign

By Correspondent

Richard Kayombo, (TRA) Director for Taxpayer services and Education

Trader across the country have been misdirected by false and inaccurate information on the use of Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) and that is why they remain reluctant to use them despite government’s repeated orders to do so.


The statement was said by Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Director for Taxpayer services and Education Richard Kayombo.

To reverse and correct the misconception, he announced that TRA is to conduct an awareness campaign across the country
Speaking to the journalists in Mtwara, Kayombo said traders are been misled by self interest individuals who are disrupting economic development of the nation for personal gains.

“As an authority we are aware that the traders have been misled and so we are conducting this campaign to educate them on the use and value of EFDs,” he said.

Referring to them as excuses, he said the reasons that traders give as to why they are unwilling to use EFDs are all evidence of their misconception.

Some of the reasons include, the functionality of the devices which traders say do not work properly, and secondly the persistent electricity black outs that would render the electronic devices unusable.

To re-educate the traders, TRA has formed a team that will educate not only traders in Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma, Mbeya and Dar es Salaam but also students and journalists.

According to Kayombo, it begins in the Southern regions but will move to other regions.

Flavian Romato, the Mtwara regional TRA Director for Taxpayers services and education explained that already the authority has begun training programs in several schools including Mtwara girls, Chuno, Raha Leo, Sabasaba, Umoja and Shangan secondary schools.

These TRA efforts come in the wake of recent go slows, shut downs and strikes by protesting traders in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Morogoro, Mbeya and Kagera regions to mention but a few.

Last month, Chairman of the Business Community of Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam busiest business center , Johnson Minja, ironically said unlike TRA’s misconception, the traders are not against paying taxes but rather, they want improvement of the tax collection system.

“The EFDs are not user friendly,” he explained “…they only record sales made and not purchases for example…so what good is that for the trader,” he argued.
On behalf of the traders he represents, he decried the Value Added Tax (VAT) that is currently set at 18 percent of the total as very high and hurting business.  

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN