Metro

Zambian govt targets K1bn in unremitted non-tax revenue

Published

9 hours ago

October 17, 2024

The Zambian government says it is intensifying efforts to recover over K1 billion in unremitted non-tax revenue, with the end of October as the targeted dateline.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who made the announcement, said the office of the Auditor General has resolved to ensure transparency and accelerate collection, with plans to publish the details of all organizations and individuals who are yet to remit these funds.

Musokotwane noted that a report submitted by the office of the Accountant General to the Secretary to the Treasury showed that as of June 2024, a total of K1,078,158,586.39 in non-tax revenue remained outstanding.

He noted that the funds owed by various stakeholders to government ministries and agencies are crucial for financing key public services.

“To accelerate the remittance of outstanding revenue by respective stakeholders, the government will publish details of all organizations and individuals who are owing. We anticipate positive results from the exercise,” Musokotwane said in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday.

He emphasized that failure by some organizations and individuals to remit non-tax revenue was inconsistent with the government’s macroeconomic goals for 2024, which aimed to boost domestic revenue collection to at least 22 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Undoubtedly, to achieve this target, the assigned ministries and agencies have the full backing of the Treasury in pursuing all relevant channels to ensure that the targeted non-tax revenues for various goods and services they render on behalf of the government are remitted by the end of October 2024,” Musokotwane said.

He added that the unremitted revenue relates to services provided in sectors including energy, tourism, labour, water development and sanitation, transport and logistics, and home affairs and internal security.

The minister reiterated that government remained committed to ensuring that all outstanding non-tax revenue was collected within the stipulated time frame to strengthen public finances and support key national priorities.

Related Topics:Economy Featured Situmbeko Musokotwane Taxes. Remittance.Zambia

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Metro

With absence of President, VP, Nigerian Presidency insists no leadership vacuum

Published

15 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

With the absence of President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima, from the country, the Nigerian Presidency insists there is no vacuum in governance.

Tinubu had travelled to the United Kingdom on October 3 in what the Presidency had said was a two-week working vacation without transmitting powers to his vice.

On Wednesday, October 16, it was also announced that Shettima had jetted out to Sweden, which made many Nigerians question why both the President and the Vice President should be absent from the country at the same time.

But in a statement by Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency sought to clarify the position, stating that there was no need to panic as governance was still running smoothly despite the absence of the duo.

“It is important to note that the President and Vice President are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while they are away. There is no leadership vacuum in the country,” Onanuga said.

“President Tinubu left the country on Oct. 3 and is on a two-week working vacation. During this time, he has been busy answering phones and issuing directives on matters of state.

“He will soon return to the country before the vacation officially expires.”

He also explained that the vice president departed the country Wednesday for Sweden on an official visit, and all state organs were functioning as usual.

“The Senate President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, and Service Chiefs are all in their respective positions, ensuring the smooth operation of the government.

“We had a similar situation in 2022 when former President Buhari and former Vice President Osinbajo were found to be simultaneously out of the country.

“President Buhari attended UNGA 77, while Osinbajo participated in the burial of Queen Elizabeth ll,” he noted.

Metro

WFP warns millions in southern Africa of worst food catastrophe in decades

Published

2 days ago

October 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The World Food Programme (WFP) stated on Tuesday that millions of people in southern Africa were experiencing the biggest food crisis in decades, and that it ran the risk of being unable to offer aid due to financial shortages.

According to the U.N. agency, a record five nations—Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—have declared a state of calamity and requested international humanitarian assistance amid conditions of historic drought. An estimated 21 million youngsters in Angola and Mozambique suffer from malnutrition as a result of the crisis.

“Unless we receive additional resources, millions of people risk going through the worst lean season in decades without assistance,” WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri told a Geneva press briefing.

Over 6.5 million people in the seven most severely affected nations will get food and, in certain situations, financial support from the organisation until the next harvest in March.

However, according to the WFP, it had only gotten around half of the $369 million that it required.

“Livestock has died, crops have failed, and kids are lucky to have one meal a day at most. Phiri stated, “The urgency of taking action is imperative given the dire situation.”

It is anticipated that the extensive adverse effects of the El Niño-induced drought in 2023–2024 will propel and amplify the outcomes of the area-level Crisis (IPC Phase 3) in Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, southern Malawi, southern Zambia, and southern Angola between June 2024 and January 2025.