(a). Under article 174, taxing, tax waiving and tax variation authority is vested in Parliament. It states that no taxation shall be imposed otherwise than by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament.

Where an Act confers power on any person or authority to waive or vary a tax imposed by that Act, the exercise of the power of waiver or variation, in favour of any person or authority, shall be subject to the prior approval of Parliament by resolution, unless the exercise of any power is exempted by Parliament by a resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all members of Parliament.

(b). The primary objective of taxation is to raise revenue for development. However, taxation may be for other objectives, including:

(i) To allocate and redistribute wealth. Government aims at using the tax system to redistribute income between the rich and the poor in society through the provision of public goods.

(ii) To control and manage the fiscal economy. Taxes serve well as fiscal and economic tools through government controls over the economic variables.

(iii) To protect and regulate international business (import and export trade) to achieve certain objectives such as to protect infant industries from international competition, and to resolve balance of payment issues.

(iv) To control consumption behaviours relating to certain harmful goods such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

(c). Non-tax revenues of the Consolidated Fund include:

• Proceeds from the disposal of public assets such as divestiture proceeds, and proceeds from the sale of equity investments. For example, the proceeds from the sale of state-owned enterprises such as Zamunda Telecom to GlobalTel.
• Proceeds from the sale of goods such as gold, cocoa, timber etc.
• User fees and charges for delivery of public services such as passport fees, academic facility user fees, vehicle registration fees, road tolls, hospital charges etc.
• Fines, penalties and forfeiture. Violation of laws and regulations may offer the right for government entities to impose fines or penalties, or exercise the right to confiscate private assets (forfeiture).
• Dividends from the profits of state-owned enterprises: for example National Assurance Company pays dividend to the government.
• Interest from investment in securities and loans receivable.
• Rent income resulting from the renting out of property of public entities. For example, employees in government bungalows pay rent to the government.
• Royalties on natural resources such as the mining of minerals, including oil exploration.