Those who pay tax online in Namibia using the newly introduced Integrated Tax Adiministration System (ITAS) will have their previous penalties incurred for not paying tax forgiven. Namibia’s Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein said Namibian taxpayers can now get relief from the taxman’s noose if they register for the new Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), which was introduced in January this year.
“Taxpayers are therefore hereby informed that the ministry is offering an incentive in the form of waiving penalties charged on tax accounts. The incentive program covers the period since the launch of ITAS and ending on 30 June 2020,” he said.
Here Is All You Need To Know
- According to the minister, the tax incentive program will be introduced in order to encourage taxpayers not only to register as e-filers but also to continually use the online service.
- Schlettwein said that the ministry’s aim is to reach a target of 90 percent of the taxpayer population register as e-filers by June 2020.
- He further said taxpayers who have already registered as e-filers since the launch of ITAS also benefit from this incentive and penalties for those without outstanding returns will be waived automatically.
The new online tax initiative in Namibia is meant to see a shift from manual interaction between the Inland Revenue Department and taxpayers to continuous use of the online platform.
“Reaching this target is necessary because the ministry may in future require taxpayers to file all tax returns electronically without an option of manual filing,” Calle Schlettwein said.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organizations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution, and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world