NamRA rejects civil servants with criminal records
Jemima Beukes
WINDHOEK
The Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) Sam Shivute said the appointment of two staff members recruited from the customs offices had to be reversed after it was found that the duo had criminal records.During a recent interview with Namibian Sun, Shivute said a vetting process is still underway to ensure that all the agency’s employees are on the right side of the law.
NamRA currently has 800 workers on its books, while its structure makes provision for 1 500 employees.
“We are recruiting the majority of people from customs and domestic tax within the ministry of finance. During our vetting processes, we found that some people had criminal records. We have to retract these appointments.
“We have people with criminal convictions and we are saying ‘sorry, you can go to another place, but not NamRA’,” he said.
Shivute stressed that integrity must be at the centre of the revenue agency’s operations and that they are aiming for a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.
Syndicate targeted
Meanwhile, he said the agency is probing a refund syndicate through which over 800 employed people have been receiving fraudulent tax refunds of between N$100 000 to N$600 000 per year.
“Apart from that, all our staff assets are declared and we are subjected to vetting. The message is very clear here - we want to build a NamRA that is based on integrity,” Shivute said.
He added that their work is paying off, and that they are now heading to enforcement - which remains a last resort.
The agency managed to collect N$119 million in outstanding tax in just one month, he said.
“We are benchmarking with everyone. International Monetary Fund is giving us technical support. The United Nations is also coming on board and will be giving us technical support on tax inspectors without borders.
“We have been talking about under-declaration; we are also referring to the multi-nationals who over the past 20 years have declared losses in billions,” he said.
Shivute emphasised that the tax revenue collected does not go into NamRA’s coffers, but instead goes towards the development of the country.
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WINDHOEK
The Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) Sam Shivute said the appointment of two staff members recruited from the customs offices had to be reversed after it was found that the duo had criminal records.During a recent interview with Namibian Sun, Shivute said a vetting process is still underway to ensure that all the agency’s employees are on the right side of the law.
NamRA currently has 800 workers on its books, while its structure makes provision for 1 500 employees.
“We are recruiting the majority of people from customs and domestic tax within the ministry of finance. During our vetting processes, we found that some people had criminal records. We have to retract these appointments.
“We have people with criminal convictions and we are saying ‘sorry, you can go to another place, but not NamRA’,” he said.
Shivute stressed that integrity must be at the centre of the revenue agency’s operations and that they are aiming for a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.
Syndicate targeted
Meanwhile, he said the agency is probing a refund syndicate through which over 800 employed people have been receiving fraudulent tax refunds of between N$100 000 to N$600 000 per year.
“Apart from that, all our staff assets are declared and we are subjected to vetting. The message is very clear here - we want to build a NamRA that is based on integrity,” Shivute said.
He added that their work is paying off, and that they are now heading to enforcement - which remains a last resort.
The agency managed to collect N$119 million in outstanding tax in just one month, he said.
“We are benchmarking with everyone. International Monetary Fund is giving us technical support. The United Nations is also coming on board and will be giving us technical support on tax inspectors without borders.
“We have been talking about under-declaration; we are also referring to the multi-nationals who over the past 20 years have declared losses in billions,” he said.
Shivute emphasised that the tax revenue collected does not go into NamRA’s coffers, but instead goes towards the development of the country.
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