- The government of Somaliland has announced the introduction of a 2% tax increase so as to raise funds for the displaced Somaliland citizens in the country’s Sool region.
Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin decreed that supporting the displaced citizens of Las Anod town is the responsibility of the government and Somaliland people.
Las Anod is a border town that has been occupied by the semi-independent Somali region of Puntland for years. Puntland occupies most of the Sool and Sanaag provinces of Somaliland
Somaliland has been described as a country with one of the most unfair tax systems in Africa. Operating on a regressive system, Somaliland proportionately levies higher taxes on the poor.
Besides, the goods consumed by the poor [which are easily taxed] attract higher taxes in Somaliland. In that, people who spend more than 90% of their income on food become victims of highest tax burden.
On the contrary, goods [luxury] and services used by Somaliland’s wealthy families are either exempted from being taxes or attract little tax.
Somaliland’s tax structure is also said to be “inefficient and expensive to administer” as huge amounts of the collected taxes meet the administrative cost.
Apart from collecting taxes in an arbitrary and non-accountable manner, large amounts of Somaliland’s taxes find themselves into the pockets of tax collectors and corrupt government officials.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español