Zambia Sugar PLC denies tax evasion assertions

The Zambia Sugar Company has dispelled assertions that it has been evading paying tax to government.

 

 

Zambia Sugar Managing Director Rabeeca Katowa said the sugar company has never failed to pay its tax obligations as stipulated by government.

 

 

She was speaking when he addressed journalists after the launch of the company’s US$82 million Nakambala Estate Sugar Refinery expansion project, yesterday.

 

 

Mrs Katowa said Zambia Sugar is a responsible entity that has always met and paid tax to the Zambian government to support national development.

 

 

She said her company presently has no special tax incentives or exemptions for it not to pay taxes to the Zambian government.

 

 

Mrs Katowa explained that her company has benefited from tax incentives as per Investment Promotion Agreements signed with government just like any other companies that have invested in the country.

 

A civil organisation , Action Aid Zambia is on record to have accused the sugar company to have evaded tax to the government of the Republic of Zambia.

 

 

Meanwhile Mrs Katowa disclosed that her company will scale up HIV/AIDS interventions at the company in light of the expected increase of staff who will be recruited under the expansion project of the Nakambala Estate Refinery.

 

 

Over 400 people will be directly employed under the US$82 million project and while hundreds are expected to be employed through spin off effects.

 

 

Mrs Katowa assured the local District Aids Task force who raised concern over the impact of the new project on the district’s aids prevalence.