Lusaka: Zambia Revenue Authority has so far collected K2.1 billion against its targeted K1.17 billion for the month of January at Sesheke's Katimamulilo border post. And finance deputy minister Alfridah Kansembe says the construction of facilities at the new Katimamulilo border in Sesheke will be completed in the next four months.
Speaking when Kansembe visited the Katimamulilo border post last week, station manager Queenvar Musenge said the border managed to collect K31.2 billion in 2011 against its targeted K24.4 billion.
"In 2010 we collected K18.2 billion revenue compared with a target of K12.1 billion for the same year. Our revenue collection target for the year 2012 is K33 billion and we are hopeful that the target will be exceeded by the end of this year. As for January 2012, we have so far
collected revenue of K2.1 billion against a target of K1.17 billion for the same month," Musenge said.
And during a meeting of ZRA officers, David Kaunda told the deputy minister that there was need to open the new border infrastructure so that better results were achieved. He said the existing border infrastructure at Katimamulilo was not originally meant for custom officers.
And Namukolo Liwali said the biggest challenge which workers had was insufficient accommodation for ZRA officers. Liwali also said the officers and their families were drinking untreated water from the Zambezi River.
Finance and national planning assistant director, national policy and implementation department, Hibeene Mwiinga urged ZRA workers to maximise revenue collection as the donor basket had been shrinking over the years.
And Kansembe said the PF government would consider the request by ZRA workers to introduce security boats along Zambezi River to patrol the waters and curb smuggling of goods. Kansembe said the idea of introducing security boats would curb smuggling of goods at Kazungula, Katimamulilo, Victoria Falls and Kariba borders.
She said the government was committed to improving the working environment for ZRA and that permission had been granted for the authority to employ 1,200 workers this year to address staff shortage.
