Addis Ababa Revenues Authority announced that a new taxpayers’ office is to be opened for tax payers who generate annual revenue of Birr 40 million or more. Deputy Director of the authority, Ato Atakilt Gebregziabher, said they were searching for an office space for the new branch which had proximity to the center and with services such as parking and reliable internet connection. He said, “The new office will help us deliver quality service. We are currently identifying and assessing tax payers’ files.” Until now, 800 taxpayers’, who will be served at the new branch, are recognized by the authority.

The Authority has four office divisions for its 340,520 taxpayers; micro, small, middle, and large taxpayers’ offices. There are 116 wereda offices in the city for those taxpayers who are classified under micro office division. Taxpayers with annual revenue of five hundred thousand Birr are identified under the micro office division. Small taxpayers’, with an annual revenue of birr five hundred thousand to five million, are served at the district level. The Authority has four middle taxpayers’ offices for those taxpayers’ with an annual turnover of five million birr to 40 million birr. Ato Atakilt said the new office will start rendering services early in November.

A series of tax reforms were undertaken by the country since early 2000 and amendments were also enforced by Addis Ababa Revenues Authority. The authority’s Team Coordination Director, Ato Melkamu Tessema, said, “We decreased the tax days to 300. We have also slashed the turnover tax for the service sector by 50% to just five percent in the last fiscal year.”

Source: Addis Fortune