Biteko calls on strengthening of revenue collection

THE Minister for Minerals, Dr Dotto Biteko has directed employees of his ministry to ensure that the planned 2023/2024 financial year budget takes into account the strengthening of revenue collection in order to achieve the goal of contributing ten per cent to the national income.

He called on the employees and experts of the ministry to put emphasis in strengthening and developing strategic minerals, the development of small scale miners, adding value to minerals and building the capacity of the ministry’s institutions.

Opening the ministry’s worker’s council recently, Dr Biteko instructed proper management of the available funds to implement planned projects in accordance with the priorities set as well as considering the employees’ welfare.

Dr Biteko also used the opportunity to congratulate the ministry’s employees for continuing to perform their duties productively and bring about positive results within the ministry.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the minerals docket, Kheri Mahimbali said that there has been a good implementation of the goals set for the financial year 2022/23.

He mentioned a number of achievements, naming some as the increase in the contribution of the mining sector to the national income in the third quarter of 2022 (July –September 2022) to 9.7 per cent compared to 7.9 per cent for the same period in 2021.

He also mentioned an increase of the income revenue amount to 457bn/- as of February this year compared to 412.9bn/- collected in the period during the corresponding period in 2022.

Mr Mahimbali explained that the amendments to the laws and regulations have also enabled the ministry to formalise mining activities and enable the government to know the sediments through GST studies and to have productive discussion with mining companies in which the government participates in joint ventures.

When closing the session, the Deputy Minister of Minerals, Dr Steven Kiruswa called on members of staff to keep working as a team and exchange information that will ease execution of the ministry’s responsibilities, especially in developing strategic minerals.