Everyone will pay tax - Shivute

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

The newly appointed commissioner of the Namibia Revenue Agency (Namra), Sam Shivute, has vowed to chase after tax defaulters in his new position.
“Namra will ensure that everyone, and I mean everyone, pays tax,” Shivute promised.
The agency, Shivute said, would be built on strong ethical foundations.
“Namra will be founded on a strong and ethical leadership foundation, a strong revenue service and customs administration is the fundamental cornerstone of an effective state and key enabler in government’s ability to fund expenditure and provide for its people,” he said.
Shivute also promised to appoint people in the right positions at the agency.
“We will endeavour to have the right staff, with right skills and right mindsets in the right positions. We will invest in our staff and ensure that they are duly capacitated so that they can be the best of the best at what they do,” he said.
Another key aspect of the agency would be a focus on transfer pricing.
After 90 days have lapsed, Shivute will brief stakeholders on what he had achieved to bring the agency to fruition.

Up to task
Shivute, a former detective within the Namibian police and head of banking services at the Bank of Namibia, said the skills he had picked up will stand him in good steed to lead the agency.
Finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi denounced any suggestions that he had favoured Shivute.
Shivute’s appointment was endorsed by the Namra technical committee established to look for a commissioner and bring the agency into existence, Shiimi said.
Explaining the appointment, Shiimi said the committee had suggested Shivute based on the score he attained in the recruitment process. Shiimi added that an external party had conducted the entire recruitment process.