NEW MEMBERS ENTER TAX AUTHORITY

NEW MEMBERS ENTER TAX AUTHORITY

Maputo, 15 Jan (AIM) – The Mozambican Tax Authority (AT) is strengthening the efficiency of the national tax collection system through the graduation, last Friday, of 500 new members of staff to reduce the deficit in the number of tax and customs officers.

Speaking on Friday, at the close of the 5th Course of Basic Paramilitary Training, the Chairperson of the AT, Amelia Muendane, said that the course finalists are now ready to accept the responsibilities of defending national economic sovereignty against any kind of threat, and of protecting the common welfare of Mozambicans in the mission of collecting taxes and combatting all fiscal crimes that harm the Mozambican state.

Muendane urged the finalists to apply themselves to these tasks, and “to ensure that you master the instruments without which the skills acquired during the three months of basic paramilitary training will not be enough for you to carry out your duties”.

Complementary training would be indispensable over the next two years “which will result in building customs and tax experts who are ready to take on the challenge of collecting revenue and defending national economic sovereignty”, Muendane said.

She added that, as officials of the AT, they must be guided by the principles of tax justice and legality, guided by the standards and values of integrity and responsibility, laid down in the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct, stressed Muendane, “should be the Bible for each of you. Master it and apply with dedication its contents”.

She warned that deviations from the Code could lead to disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings. The finalists must be guided by the principles and values of good governance and integrity. They must work for the good of Mozambicans and of the public treasury, and “you must not allow yourselves to be corrupted”.

Muendane recognized that there are still challenges in the Mozambican tax system, which the graduates should overcome rather than worsen. Those challenges include the heterogeneous nature of the Mozambican economy, the huge size of the informal sector, poor fiscal literacy among the public, the vulnerability of the borders, the shortage of AT staff, corruption and inertia.

Given this scenario, she said, the AT will continue to bank on improving its efficiency by investing in the permanent training and renewal of its work force.
(AIM)
Amq/pf