By George Bukenya
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) re-affirms its stance to suppliers about the importance of being tax compliant in enhancing a better and sustainable business relationship.
The tax body’s commissioner in charge of information technology and innovation Robert Mutebi who officiated at the annual suppliers conference held at Hotel Africana urged the suppliers to be honest and do their businesses with a high level of integrity something he said will help them attract business.
“Government wants you to provide service with a lot of integrity as well as embracing digitalization because that is the way to go and it simplifies work and its cost cutting,’’ Mutebi said.
“ Non-compliance with tax obligations can hinder your future working relationship between your companies and the authority.’’ He asserted.
He further said that URA is also considering encouraging companies owned by women, people with disability some as to encourage such people to also embrace doing formal business.
This year’s conference was organised under the theme; “ Building Strategic Partnership with a commitment to Service Excellence,’’ outlined the need for mutual accountability and embracing excellence in service delivery.
Mutebi said that there’s over UGX 700 billion tied up in non-tax compliance by many business organizations in the country something he says has affected the authority’s target.
He also commented on the concern of the suppliers about corruption tendencies in the procurement processes, urging them to reduce their involvement in such practices and also report URA officials who ask them for a bribe.
“ Suppliers aid corruption tendencies to occur within the procurement processes and when their expectations are not met they complain, it’s all about sticking to ethical standards while doing business, corruption isn’t also good on your side because it increases the expenses although not officially recorded in books.’’
The Director of Legal Affairs of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets agency (PPDA)Uthuman Segawa also sent said that corruption tendencies can ruin business and warned the suppliers from tempting organizations awarding tenders.
‘’A big portion of foreign bribery cases are linked to procurement corruption,’’ Segawa stated, he asked suppliers to always report any unethical behaviours.
The Eastern Region Youth representative in Parliament Bernard Oneni Odoi attested to the integrity in procurement process, saying he got a tender on merit to collect garbage from URA Nakawa premises because he had a TIN and a Trading Licence.
Oneni the Chief Executive Officer of BenCity Holdings appreciated the openness of the URA procurement Team which gives opportunity to all Ugandans to supply goods and services to the authority at the ongoing concern.