BUJUMBURA June 14th (ABP) – The Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) organized, Friday, June 10 in Bujumbura, training on compliance with customs laws and procedures by taxpayers, for journalists who deal with economic and tax subjects, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
According to the director of information and communication at the OBR, Mr. Stany Ngendakumana, this training aimed to discuss with them the difficulties they encounter when dealing with these subjects. According to him, the observation is that some journalists do not master the concepts used in this field and do not know the tax and customs laws and procedures. It is therefore necessary for journalists to be informed before informing others. If not, he added, the dissemination of information that they do not control risks undermining the objective of the OBR which is the promotion of tax compliance in Burundi. The other finding is that few topics are covered in these areas compared to politics and health.
And very often it is not the initiative of journalists but factual news. It is therefore urgent that the OBR provide the media with adequate insight into tax issues and point out the structural and shortcomings of the profession that should be improved so that the media can effectively contribute to strengthening tax citizenship for development. socio-economic of the country.
On this occasion, they were able to follow three presentations on internal public revenues collected by the OBR, Burundian customs, a tool for managing the international supply chain, revenue collection and trade facilitation as well as a theme on the Burundian media vis to the challenges and opportunities related to tax issues.
During the exchanges following these presentations, the journalists highlighted the constraints they encounter when dealing with issues related to tax and customs procedures. They pointed out, among other things, the lack of knowledge in these areas, few means to go on the ground to carry out investigations, etc.
Mr. Ngendakumana promised that the OBR will stay with the media, and intends to organize a network of journalists who are friends of the tax authorities as he is doing in schools and universities where the OBR is in the process of setting up tax-friendly clubs. Media managers as well as the financial services of the various media will also be sensitized. It has been found, according to him, that all the media have disputes with the OBR regarding the payment of taxes.