The implementation of the Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) Report by NamRA’s Domestic Taxes Department will enable the curbing of corruption and improve service delivery to taxpayers and traders.

This was according to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Executive Director (ED) Tylvas Shilongo, who added that the report will improve the ability for NamRA officials to detect criminal acts from taxpayers and traders, such as fraud.

Shilongo was speaking at the handover of the NamRA Domestic Taxes Western Region CRA Report by the ACC in Walvis Bay on Wednesday.

“The CRA Mitigation Plan will also improve NamRA’s corporate image in the western region which includes Erongo, and increase compliance to standards and values appropriate to the agency, as well as improve efficiency, transparency and accountability,” the ED emphasised.

The CRA Report, which is a result of a workshop for the NamRA Domestic Taxes Western Region held in 2021, provides valuable insights into potential vulnerabilities and corruption risks within the organisation, Shilongo said.

“It serves as a roadmap, guiding us to implement effective mechanisms and strengthen our integrity,” he noted.

The report also contains the corruption risk mitigation plan with the actions NamRA had to execute to prevent corruption at the western region office.

Shilongo added that the impact of effective and efficient revenue collection and curbing losses of revenue due to corruption and crime is enormous for a developing country such as Namibia.

ACC Chief Public Education and Corruption Prevention Officer in the Erongo Region, Tobias Amoonga revealed that investigations showed the misuse and stealing of NamRA’s resources for personal gain, time and bribery, were among some of the risks identified in the report.

NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute in a speech delivered on his behalf, said NamRA’s Internal Affairs will work closely with the ACC’s Regional Integrity Committee to enforce the implementation of this mitigation plan.

“The collaboration between NamRA and ACC comes a long way, back in 2016 the Ministry of Finance was the first institution to pilot test the CRA tool. These collaborations should be strengthened to enhance good governance, which is the fundamental principle of transparency and accountability,” Shivute expressed.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency