DAR ES SALAAM Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila has urged the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to reduce tax-related disputes raised by businesses and to expand the tax base by tapping into various revenue sources available in the region.

Chalamila made the call on Tuesday while speaking with TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Mwenda, who was accompanied by the authority's officials during a meeting held at the Regional Commissioner’s office.

He also urged the authority to improve tax infrastructure to enhance revenue collection. Chalamila commended the TRA team for their work and promised continued cooperation to ensure that taxes are collected for national development.

He encouraged TRA to invest more in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency in the collection of government revenue.

Mwenda affirmed that Dar es Salaam is a commercial hub, accounting for almost 80 percent of the nation's total taxes. He stated that TRA aims to encourage citizens to protect their health by identifying and consuming genuine and legal products.

Additionally, recognizing the challenges faced by tax collectors in determining correct tax rates, Mwenda mentioned that TRA is considering acquiring modern and more accurate methods to address this issue.

One area where improvements have been made is with Electronic Tax Stamps (ETS), which are integrated with TRA systems to obtain accurate production or import statistics in terms of quantity, volume, as well as product quality and standards, he said.