Muchinga PS calls on departments responsible for collecting revenue to work extra hard in order to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Lavushimanda, January 14, 2025,Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Henry Mukungule says most government departments involved in revenue collection activities in the region did not manage to meet their revenue targets last year due to various reasons.
Mr Mukungule mentioned some of the contributing factors that led to the failure to meet the revenue targets under appropriation in aid activities for the year 2024 for institutions like the Forestry Department as the realignment of the National Budget where most funds were channeled towards drought response programmes.
The Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary added that another reason was the introduction of the Zambia Integrated Land Administration System (ZILAS) as an online platform for most land administration-related services, which most people were not used to by then.
He noted that as the operations of these departments were affected, the majority of them failed to meet their revenue targets which also affected the revenue collection target for the province not being met, resulting in the province appearing before the Parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC).
Mr Mukungule was speaking yesterday in Lavushimanda District of Muchinga Province when he met with officers from the departments who are key in revenue collection activities and other government officials to discuss a number of Government Interventions that contribute to revenue collection for the Government.
“Provincial Administration is given targets for revenue to be collected every year and collection of revenue for those departments that do activities of appropriation in aid are key in achieving our revenue collection target but last year, most of them failed to meet their targets, making as to be queried by the PAC,” he said.
Mr. Mukungule further urged the Forestry, Lands and Survey departments in conjunction with the local authorities to work extra hard this year as they are carrying out activities of appropriation in aid in order to raise revenue to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the Government does not just provide social protection services such as the Social Cash Transfer, Constituency Development Fund (CDF), loans and grants, and Food Security Pack (FSP) among others but has to raise revenue so as to effectively provide social protection to its citizens.
Mr Mukungule said the Government sets targets for departments that generate money through appropriation in aid and the generated income assists the government in the provision of the needed services to its citizens.
He observed that this year’s rainfall pattern is favorable and the province may record better crop yields so there will be no excuse for calamities such as droughts if the departments do not meet their annual revenue targets.
“I’m urging you all to work hard this year and improve your revenue targets as you can see that this year’s weather pattern is favorable”, he said.
The Permanent Secretary also noted that it was important to learn and appreciate the challenges that the Forestry Department and the councils who are key stakeholders in land administration and management faced during the 20024.
He added that these challenges could be shared in order to track progress made against targets when implementing the revenue collection activities in districts.
The Permanent Secretary informed the meeting that he was in the Lavushimanda to also receive recommendations on how best the province can achieve the said annual targets on revenue collection and for the province to position itself for better results in terms of revenue collection in 2025.
Mr Mukungule said Revenue collection for the Government is a multisectoral approach.
He therefore urged local authorities to identify land that will be opened up for plots and direct the Department of Survey to put beacons on the parcels of land so that citizens can start developing their plots which will assist the Lands Department in having an opportunity to collect revenue for the government through ground rates.
“I’m expecting that we should be able to raise enough revenue from Lavushimanda because it is a new council and the council has to sell land; council, survey and land department will generate money and targets will be met,” he added.
And Lavushimanda District Forestry Officer Immaculate Bangwe said the Department was faced with challenges such as lack of transport to conduct patrols, inadequate officers as they are only two officers catering for the whole district and inadequate funding, hindering its service delivery.
“We need transport for these patrols, more officers on the ground and probably a sub office in Chiundaponde Chiefdom as well as more funds to effectively deliver these services”, she said.
Meanwhile, Lavushimanda Town Council Secretary, Dominic Makisa said the Local Authority is working hard to provide service delivery to the people in the area and also contribute to the country’s revenue collection.
Mr Makisa however complained over land encroachment in the Central Business District (CDB) in the Kalonje area by people who got land from the traditional leadership.
In Response, the Permanent Secretary assured the Forestry Department that the Government will ensure that their challenges are attended to while the Council has to engage the traditional leaders in land allocation matters and ensure those that own land within the CBD get titles for their parcels of land.
