PARLIAMENT – Legislators on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs have commended Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) on registering improvements and called on Government to increase funding to the institution so as to take services closer to the population.
The Committee noted that as at 30th March 2019, the Bureau collected Shs40.581b which is 85% of the Ministry of Finance target for the 2018/2019 with Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) collection having increased by 33% compared to Shs30.581Bn by the end of March 2018.
The growth is attributed to increased levels of compliance through ICT automation of registration systems, decentralization of registration service points to regional offices, a development the Committee described as great
But despite the growth in revenue collections, the Bureau was left grappling with funding for the expansion of regional offices with the institution looking at bringing on board eight more regional offices at a cost of Shs8Bn to promote ease to doing business across the country.
Additionally with the growing need for centralized one-stop shops in regions, the
Bureau intends to roll out at least 3 one-stop shops across the Country in order to improve on the doing to business environment with the plan set to cost Shs8b and the Committee recommended to have Shs2.5b in the next financial year to enable the Bureau roll out at least 3 One Stop Shops across the country in order to improve on the business environment.
The Committee also noted that over the years, URSB has continued to automate its process, URSB is seeking for Shs2.64b meant to cater for system and software maintenance.
URSB has been ordered to collect funds to a tune of Shs6.25b which remained outstanding as at June 2018 and comprises of funds payable to the receiver by companies in liquidation and funds borrowed by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Shs3.353b from the liquidation funds.
The Bureau received a total of Shs23.83b of which Shs16.04b was released by December 2018 and Shs12.93Bn was spent, implying 80.6%o absorption rate and in the coming financial year, URSB has been allocated Shs25.06b for FY 2Ol9/20, an increase by Shs1.78b.
