ZRA, Immigration win kudos

THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Immigration Department have won accolades from Southern Province Minister, Edify Hamukale, for being resilient and hard-working amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Hamukale said that despite the global pandemic affecting most sectors of the economy, the two arms of Government had continued to perform exceptionally well in providing security and in revenue collection.

The minister was speaking when he addressed officers from ZRA and Immigration Department at the Port Office in Livingstone yesterday.

"I would like to commend you in the manner you have managed to participate managing Covid-19 in the region. We did not know how to manage it.

"As Government, we are proud of your performance and you managed to account all internal controls and meeting your targets," he said.

He urged the officers to be wary of overzealous individuals who were using political party names to solicit for money claiming they had been send Government.

Dr Hamukale said that Government does not send individuals to ask for money and will never do that.

"This behaviour is common in Southern Province especially in border areas. These individuals are collecting money in the name of the party," he said.

"Again during this festival season, there are some multinational companies that have the tendency of dumping products that are near expiring dates in developing countries like ours.

"There are also individuals who want to take advantage of this period to come in Zambia and stay illegally but we need to protect Zambians by ensuring that they don't stay in the country illegally," he said.

And ZRA Assistant Commissioner Southwest Region, Edgar Kwalela, said that despite the Covid-19, the authority has continued collecting revenue and was optimistic of meeting its target.