Officials at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said on Monday that nearly 5.9 billion Afs have so far been collected from the 10 percent levy which was introduced last year by the government on telecom cards.
 
The ministry remains concerned that the method of tax collection is still the old one that sparked outrage in the country over fear of corruption and embezzlement.
 
The information we have from our financial department at the end of Dalwa (solar month) February, is that income received from the communication services is estimated to be 5.9 billion Afs.

However, the ministry of finance calculated tax on communication services from the month of Qaus,” said Yasin Samim, spokesman to ministry of communications and IT.
 
“Until end of Qaus, more than five billion Afs was collected,” said Ajmal Hamid, spokesman to ministry of finance.
 
Meanwhile the ministry of economy has announced that it will put forward its proposal for installation of a special tax collection system that will be binding for eight companies vying for the contract.
 
“We are now in month of Hoot (March), we hope that the company will be selected by the end or in the middle of March so that the special system is installed,” said Suhrab Bahman, spokesman to ministry of economy.
 
As speculation over transparency in the tax collection system at the Ministry of communications and IT gathers fresh momentum, the ministries of communications and IT and ministry of finance have reiterated their commitment to increase monitoring.