By Mulengera Reporters
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has brought together more than 190 administrators, accountants and local government leaders from the Eastern Region for a tax sensitization workshop aimed at strengthening compliance among public servants.
The workshop brought together participants from Soroti, Kumi, Serere, Bukedea, Ngora, Kapelebyong and Kalaki districts to deepen their understanding of their tax obligations and address challenges affecting tax compliance within local governments.
The engagement focused on practical tax matters affecting administrators in the execution of their duties, with particular attention to areas where gaps in knowledge and practice have continued to affect compliance.
Speaking during the workshop, Soroti District Station Head Simon Akora explained that the training was informed by feedback collected during the previous financial year. The feedback highlighted several challenges, including late filing of tax returns, inaccurate application of withholding tax and gaps in understanding VAT requirements.
Akora noted that the workshop was designed to provide participants with clear and practical guidance on how to address these challenges and improve compliance in their respective institutions.
He assured participants that the presentations had been tailored to provide specific information on their responsibilities and help them resolve issues encountered in previous years.
The sensitisation comes as part of URA’s efforts to strengthen tax administration through taxpayer education and engagement, particularly among institutions responsible for managing public resources.
For local governments, improved understanding of tax obligations is critical in ensuring that payments, deductions, filings and other statutory requirements are handled accurately and within the prescribed timelines.
The participation of administrators, accountants and leaders from different levels of local government also provides an opportunity to clarify responsibilities and promote consistency in the application of tax procedures.
Through such engagements, URA continues to emphasise taxpayer education as an important component of voluntary compliance. By equipping public servants with the knowledge required to meet their obligations, the authority seeks to reduce errors, improve timely filing and strengthen accountability in public institutions.
The Eastern Region workshop therefore provided a platform for participants to identify recurring compliance challenges, receive clarification on tax requirements and develop practical approaches to improving tax administration within their respective districts. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
