Arusha traders hit by EFD ‘failure’

Arusha. Traders in Arusha have expressed concern after the electronic fiscal devices (EFDs) installed at their premises failed to operate for the past one week.

Until the weekend, most of those affected could not use the devices to issue receipts and instead resorted to hand written documents for transactions.

Among the businesses hit hard are fuel stations whereby the motorists buying petrol and allied products could not be issued with receipts from EFDs as required.

The systems’ breakdown was confirmed by the director of Taxpaper Services and Education, Mr Richard Kayombo, when he was reached by The Citizen at the weekend.

“We have been having a problem with our systems since May 18 and have advised our clients to issue hand-written receipts as the matter is being sorted out,” he said.

He insisted that this was a problem of “our electronic systems” and that it would ease with time as technicians employed by the taxman were sorting it out.

The chairman of the Arusha chapter of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Mr Walter Maeda, said traders were concerned over the issue.

He appealed to TRA to ensure the system was back to normal, citing the petrol stations where the use of EFDs was crucial.

TRA regional manager Faustine Mdesa also shared the concern of the service providers, saying it was being addressed by the headquarters.

Suryakant Kalyani, the manager of Tanpack Tissues Limited, an Arusha-based firm, said his company and Mohans shop had been affected by the problem.

Arusha city council had recently announced it would order over 100 EFDs worth Sh88.5 million in order to boost revenue collection.

Between July, last year, and last month the local authority had collected about Sh10 billion, which is about 79 per cent of Sh. 13.2bn projected for 2017/2018 financial year.

City Revenue officer Mbwana Msangi said revenue collection efforts had been hampered by inadequate EFDs.