The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) will start rewarding consumers who demand electronic receipts to encourage voluntary universal use of electronic billing machines among the business community.The Consumer Compliance Awards will see 25 consumers bag several prizes that include cash prize of Rwf100,000 every week, Drocelle Mukashyaka, the RRA deputy commissioner in charge of the taxpayer services department, said.Mukashyaka added that the awards are aimed at involving consumers to help the authority achieve efficiency in the collection of value added tax.“By demanding an electronically-generated receipt for every purchase, a consumer helps us in ensuring compliance that will enhance tax collections,” she said.Mukashyaka noted that the awards would also promote a culture of asking for receipts among the public, thus leading to effective use of electronic billing machines.The first lucky winners will be announced at the end of this month. The Rwanda Revenue Authority introduced the electronic billing machine this year. It is supposed to be used by all value added tax-registered taxpayers to curb tax evasion. “A trader who remits this tax to Rwanda Revenue Authority is just a custodian of the revenue paid by the consumer at the point of purchase,” Mukashyaka added.She, however, noted that some business people are misusing the machines and not issuing receipts that have a clear description of the good/service sold. Others are not applying the right tax rate to the taxable products, while more do not top-up electronic billing machine airtime. She added that these practices amount to non-compliance and advised taxpayers to avoid them, warning that whoever is caught will be penalised heavily.RRA implemented the electronic platforms last year to boost revenue collection and strengthen tax administration. The tax body is targeting to collect Rwf795.7b this fiscal year compared to Rwf665.8b collected last fiscal year. This year, over 60 per cent of the budget will be funded by domestic revenue.
