Action Aid Zambia urges ZRA to get information on Tax evasion from EIB

Action Aid Zambia has welcomed the European Ombudsman ruling that the European Investment Bank (EIB) should reconsider its refusal to grant access to the findings of their investigation into alleged tax dodging by mining company Glencore’s Mopani subsidiary.

And Action Aid Zambia has called on Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to put pressure on the EIB to share the information, as it is the responsibility of the Government of Zambia to investigate the issue fully in order to bring it to a conclusion.

Action Aid Zambia Economic Justice Project Officer Kryticous Nshindano has told Qfm News in a statement his organization welcomes the ruling and he hopes that the recommendation is adopted by the EIB so that results of the investigation into Glencore’s tax practices in Zambia will finally become public.

Mr. Nshindano says Government must also demonstrate to the Zambian people their resolve to urgently address the problem of illicit financial flows, with tax avoidance and evasion accounting for 75 per cent.

Mr. Nshindano says the revelation of the report findings will be useful in analyzing the relevance of tax policies and measures currently being used or indeed being proposed.

He says it is essential that all companies operating in Zambia pay their fair share of taxes, which has the power to help build a better future.

He explains that Tax has the power to build schools and educate children; the power to build roads and allow goods to travel; to provide medicines for better healthcare; the power to provide vital public services.