BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes
@SunZambian
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has commended clearing companies which have regularised dubious vehicle imports as it donated smuggled cooking oil worth K1.4 million to public institutions.
ZRA Commissioner General, Kingsley Chanda, said the mini amnesty would go up to May 26, this year to allow those who dubiously imported vehicles in Zambia clear them.
Mr Chanda said ZRA and other wings such as the police and the Road Traffic and Safety Agency would swing into action to seize and forfeit to the state all the dubiously imported vehicles.
He, however, commended the clearing companies that had stepped forward to regularise all dubious vehicles imported on their Tax Clearing Identification Numbers during the “Operation Clear Your Car” mini amnesty.
Mr Chanda said this in Nakonde last week during the donation of 26,600 litres of smuggled cooking oil to public institutions worth K1.4 million.
“We have not penalised them (clearing companies) because the olive branch is still open to all. While those who have decided to remain hiding thinking we do not know, they will meet us after May 26, 2021.
“Our advice is simple, let people do the right thing. ZRA has sharp teeth to bite when it needs to and so people should not force us to bite,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Chanda said ZRA through such donations was contributing to the cushioning of the impact of Covid-19 on public institutions.
Among the beneficiaries are the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.
He explained that the donated cooking oil was seized and later forfeited to the State after the importer attempted to smuggle it into Zambia.
Speaking on behalf of school beneficiaries, Muchinga Provincial Education Officer, Allan Kaoma, said the donation would easte the financial crisis that schools in the area were going through.
Dr Kaoma explained that the schools were undergoing financial crisis.
And Health Provincial Director and District Director for Nakonde, Arthur Makanta, said the donation would help to cushion the impact and the cost that the Ministry of Health was incurring to take care of patients.
