Tax Collection: Access Problems, Demolitions Affect Revenue

Measures are being taken to overcome difficulties, collaboration between councils and tax centres is urgent.

Even though municipalities like Douala III collected up to FCFA 1.5 billion to stand out as the first, the figure would have been more if access problems, businesses dislodged due to road expansion works and insufficient collaboration between councils and tax centres were overcome. These problems were raised by councils and tax centres during a meeting of the Divisional Finance Committee, CODEFIL, in Wouri to evaluate the collection of taxes in the 2016 financial year.

Taxes concerned are council and immovable property taxes, among others.

“I am satisfied with the single tax payment system meant for bikes and vehicles in the town. The percentage of revenue collected has improved from that of 2015. That none of the councils has a rate over 90 per cent is enough reason for them to work harder. Difficulties such as on-going road construction at the east entrance and Bonaberi have pushed businesses away; the uncivic nature of some people and insufficient collaboration between tax centres and councils has affected the efficiency of the system. I am calling for more collaboration be...