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Garissa traders warned of fake business permits

From left, Trade executive Idriss Aden Muktar, the Garissa County revenue task force chairman Salah Yakub Farah, Chief Revenue Officer Abdullahi Omar and Director of Revenue Roble Said Nunow. The task force warned traders about fake business permits being sold in Garissa. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  ABDIMALIK HAJIR

What you need to know:

  • Traders should obtain only genuine trading licences from the county revenue collection offices or at the Department of Trade.
  • Those masquerading as county officials and issuing fake business permits will face legal action.
  • Mr Farah said traders who default on their payments will be charged in court.
  • He noted that structures inherited from the defunct municipal council are impeding revenue collection.

The Garissa County government has said that it will take legal action against people masquerading as county officials who are issuing fake business permits.

Speaking at the county headquarters, members of a task force formed by Governor Nathif Jama Adam also cautioned the public to be wary of the fraudsters, noting that they should obtain only genuine trade licences from the county revenue collection offices or at the Department of Trade.

The task force was formed after the executive arm of the county government realised that it would not meet the target of collecting Sh500 million in the current financial year, which is already half way over.

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“We decided to come up with the task force to make sure we hit the target because if we will not reach our goal then there will be a deficit in our budget,” said Salah Yakub Farah, the county executive committee member in charge of Environment, Energy, Natural Resources and Tourism, who chairs the task force.

ENOUGH REVENUE

Mr Farah said traders who default on their payments will be charged in court, adding that the county government will not be able to provide services without enough revenue.

“We have made arrangements with the court to have special days set aside to prosecute those who break the law,” he warned.

The Finance Act, which was passed by the Garissa County Assembly, would guide the prosecution process, he added.

He noted that untrained personnel inherited from the defunct municipal council, lack of clear supervision and a structure that was aimed to work like the municipal council and not like a government are the main challenges the county is facing in collecting its revenue.