Vice President Inonge Wina has urged the business community not to be apprehensive following the transitioning from Value Added Tax (VAT) to Sales Tax.
Zambia is abolishing VAT and replacing it with a non-refundable sales tax coming into force on 1st April, 2019, a move likely to help the government boost revenue collection and bring down mounting debt.
Speaking during the Vice President’s 45 Minutes Question Time in Parliament this morning, the Vice President says Minister of Finance will take to parliament a bill to address the transition from VAT to Sales Tax.
She says there is no need for the people of Zambia to be apprehensive during the transitioning period.
Meanwhile, the Vice President says the Zambian government is mobilizing resources to help Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, following the devastation incurred by Cyclone Idai that has affected more than 1.5 million people.
Mrs. Wina says climate change has come with devastating effects and hence the need to help each other.
Mrs. Wina says the government is also promoting agriculture practices in the country that responds well to the changing climate change.
And the Veep said the government will pay the agro-dealers that participated in the e-voucher programme and farmers who had supplied their crops to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
She said the Ministry of Finance is mobilizing resources and is likely to pay the agro dealers and farmers by next week.