Introduce tax holidays for SMEs – Western Chamber

BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes GOVERNMENT should consider introducing a tax holiday for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) during the Covid-19 period as they have adversely been significantly affected by the pandemic Introducing a tax holiday for SMEs will protect their businesses from collapsing, says Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) Regional Coordinator, Fred Mulozi. Mr Mulozi regretted that small businesses in Mongu and Western province as a whole, had significantly been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. He explained that most businesses were in the hospitality industry and that with the effect of the pan- demic, tourists had stopped visiting the Province and the country. Mr Mulozi was speaking in an interview after the of- ficial opening of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) of its regional office in Mongu on Friday last week. “With the Covid-19 it means we do not receive tourists anymore, meaning our economic activities have been seriously affected. “We would like to strongly appeal to Government through ZRA to come up with some sort of a tax holiday for the business community operating in the region by exempting them from pay tax as majority are struggling due to the Covid-19,” he said. Mr Mulozi said Govern- ment should consider giving small businesses even a 50 percent exemption as it could go a long way in helping the local businesses remain sustainable. He said the hospitality industry in Western province was one of the key sectors attached to tourism. “As the country makes strides in diversifying the economy from mining, tourism has also being identified as one of the key sectors with the potential to contribute to economic growth and job creation. “Western Province is endowed with vast natural resources and tourist sites which attracts international tourists to visit sites such as the Zambezi plains, Sioma- Ngwezi National Park and the Liuwa Plain National Park among others,” Mr Mulozi said. The Sun