Mbeya Regional Commissioner calls for tax regime reform

Mbeya. Mbeya Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila has said there is a need of reforming the tax regime so that it would reflect current needs.

He said this yesterday during a meeting that discussed business improvements through joint discussions between the private sector and government that brought leaders from the Southern Highlands under the Programme for Agricultural Market Development (AMDT). He said current tax systems were still in the 1990s.

“Tax reform systems cannot be ignored. So elsewhere in the business environment, we should not ignore to talk about improvements to tax systems,” he said. “It has to be friendly to businesspersons, and will help eliminate fraud.”

Mr Chalamila decried those who make empty talks instead of taking action, saying those mobilising citizens to engage in large scale farming should be ready to find markets for the produce.

Earlier, ADMT business development expert Tertula Swai said the programme’s goal was to increase income and employment opportunities for all Tanzanians, especially those in rural areas.

“Through this programme, we’re going to create marketing systems. We are talking about the seed production system or the supply chain input or service delivery system but also to improve where there is a deficit,” he said.

He said the programme has two components: improve value chain for maize, legumes and sunflower and improve the business environment.