By Mulengera Reporters
Women entrepreneurs in Arua City have been urged to strengthen their understanding of taxation and financial management as part of efforts to improve business sustainability and promote national development.
The engagement, held at Arua City Council Hall, was organized under the Women Economic Empowerment for Green Transformation (WEEG) Project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The training brought together women in business for capacity building sessions focused on financial planning, business formalization, and taxation.
Officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Tax Education Unit, together with the Arua Domestic Taxes team, facilitated the sessions. The training covered key areas including taxpayer rights and obligations, proper record keeping, presumptive tax computation, compliance requirements, and the benefits of voluntary tax compliance in supporting business growth.
Speaking during the engagement on Friday last week, URA’s Muzamil Aluma emphasized that taxpayer education remains a cornerstone of efforts to promote voluntary compliance across the country. Mr. Aluma noted that access to tax knowledge is a right for every Ugandan and plays a critical role in building an informed and compliant taxpayer base.
He further reiterated URA’s commitment to simplifying tax systems and making compliance more accessible, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises led by women. According to him, improved understanding of tax obligations helps businesses avoid penalties while enabling them to plan better and grow sustainably.
The leadership of the Women’s Association in Arua City welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful. The Assocoiation expressed appreciation to URA and its partners for reaching out directly to women entrepreneurs, noting that such engagements help demystify taxation and encourage formal business practices.
However, they also called for more continuous taxpayer education programs, saying that sustained training would further empower women entrepreneurs in Arua City and surrounding business communities to make informed financial decisions and strengthen their enterprises.
Participants were encouraged to apply the knowledge gained to improve record keeping, enhance compliance, and embrace formalization as a pathway to accessing broader economic opportunities.
The engagement reflects ongoing collaboration between URA and development partners to support inclusive economic growth through taxpayer awareness and capacity building, particularly among women-led businesses.
