Sunday, June 16, 2024

By Nakitto Joselyn Elizabeth 

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has appealed to the clearing agents to take on the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training to improve their role in the supply chain.

Abel Kagumire, the Commissioner of Customs has emphasized the importance of the training, highlighting its detailed modules pertaining to both customs and domestic taxes during his meeting with the heads of clearing and forwarding associations.

“Majority of our operations are automated, but, we are encountering challenges with the declarations and responses by the clearing agents. Therefore, we request you to encourage your members to participate in the upcoming training session,” he stated.

Brenda Wenene, the Acting Assistant Commissioner of Trade, has asserted that the online competency tests are no longer sufficient in assessing the proficiency of the clearing agents therefore its crucial they participate in the CPD training.

“We must prioritize ongoing training to boost your expertise so that when licensing, we can take into account the knowledge acquired and skills demonstrated. This will enable us to certify clearing agents who are well-equipped to navigate our systems,” she added.

Additionally, during the meeting Uganda Revenue Authority agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with clearing agents associations to boost commercial activities.Although the East African Community Customs Management Act (EACCMA) recognizes the importance of the clearing agent in the tax administration, it does not officially recognize the associations, hence the necessity of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Alfred Okoya, the Manager of Legal and Bonds, has articulated that the associations past engagements have been informal relying on institutional memory but the new agreement will promote a healthy business relationship.

In Uganda, there exist three accredited clearing agent associations, including the Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association (UCIFA), the Federation of Uganda Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (FUCAFF), and the Uganda Freight Forwarders Association (UFA), each functioning independently from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

Joselyn Nakitto is a staff writer at SML News Ug with passion in health, business and current affairs. She can be contacted on 0709603158

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