In a significant moment during the inauguration of the South West regional offices in Masaka city, URA Commissioner John Musinguzi conveyed an optimistic message to Ugandans.
He expressed hope that the country's economy would stabilize in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musinguzi highlighted the role of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in contributing to this recovery, suggesting that their efforts would play a crucial part in revitalizing economic activities.
The commissioner's statement comes at a time when nations globally are grappling with the economic repercussions of the pandemic. Musinguzi's reassurance could be seen as a positive signal, potentially boosting confidence among the Ugandan population regarding the future economic outlook.
"We have a dream at Uganda Revenue Authority that one day our Nation Uganda will be economically independent. We will be able to raise funds to run our budget without begging anywhere and this is a dream we have as URA. By the grace of God, we have seen some symptoms and signs that this is possible. For the last three years we have been under lock down, covid-19 no tax rates, we have seen doubled a bit close from here up to here on our tax collections.2020-2021 financial year we increased our revenue collection by 15%, 2021-2022 we increased our revenue collection by 12.4%, 2022-2023 we increased our revenue collection by 16.5% this year we hope to grow our revenue collection by 20% by the grace of God we hope we will be able to achieve this," Mr. Musinguzi said.
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Musinguzi called upon the taxpayers to work with URA to achieve this goal in this financial year 2023-2024. 'There is no way we can achieve this without the contribution of our taxpayers.'
It's worth noting that the establishment of regional offices in Masaka city is a strategic move by URA, likely aimed at enhancing their presence and efficiency in tax administration. This expansion could be interpreted as a proactive step towards supporting economic recovery at the grassroots level. "We want to serve our taxpayers in an environment that is conducive, comfortable and close enough to them. So, the people of Masaka, this is your office. It has been built by the funds of the tax you have been paying. Please come here for your service. If you feel you have any complaint, come here and address it to we the leaders.' Mr. Musinguzi John added.
As Uganda, like many other countries, strives to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic, the role of government entities such as URA becomes pivotal. The commissioner's words not only reflect confidence in the nation's ability to rebound but also emphasize the collaborative effort needed from various sectors to achieve stability.
