Cross Border Traders applaud MRA for Civic Education on Taxes

Cross border traders in the country have applauded MRA for conducting civic education on taxes to assist them trade across the borders with less hassles.

The remarks were made by the National Chairperson of Cross border traders in Malawi Esther Chukambiri in Blantyre at one of the six workshops MRA had organized in the country for the traders.

The Chairperson observed that many cross border traders were not aware that Malawi had signed different trade agreements with her neighbours like the SADC or COMESA STR that allows one to import or exports goods with a lesser cost.

‘’Most of us were not aware that there are these trade agreements in place that allow one to import or export goods with minimal costs. For that I really thank MRA for organizing these workshops,’’ added Chukambiri.

In this connection, the chair-lady assured the Authority that cross border traders in the country will use the information and knowledge acquired during the workshops to conduct their trade with informed decisions than ever before.

Chukambiri, however, appealed to MRA to create other different channels to constantly provide information to cross border traders more especially at the border stations.

For instance, she requested MRA to establish a help or information desk at the borders and also provide information to cross border traders by publishing more brochures, leaflets, posters and public notices in different languages suitable to cross border traders.

In his response, Manager Taxpayer Education, Mc Hizzal Kawanga, assured the huge crowd of over 90 cross border traders that attended the Blantyre workshop that MRA was in the process of acquiring TV and in station radio sets that would be installed at the borders to create a platform where cross border traders and other businesses would access different information on import and exports.

He, therefore, discouraged cross border traders from using unchartered routes and warned that MRA had intensified enforcement measures to deal with smugglers and anybody caught will be punished accordingly.

Kawanga also urged cross border traders to avoid bribing Customs officers and warned that anyone caught doing so will be surrendered to law enforcement agencies for necessary action.

From 5th to 13th February, 2018, MRA conducted workshops with cross border traders in Mangochi, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Mzuzu, Karonga and Blantyre.

The MRA team comprised Naomi Paseli (Customs & Excise Division), Desire Kassam (Internal Affairs Division) and Kawanga from the Corporate Affairs Division.