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2023 Auditor General Report: Automated Revenue and Information Systems Boost Revenue by 78% & 58%
The IRAS system server is located at the LGFC premises on the 10th floor of Workers House, with no off-site server or backup, contrary to section 4.6 of the National Information Security Policy 2014, posing a risk of data loss for the IRAS system.
By Ivan Kaahwa
The Ugandan government implemented automation in local government revenue management systems through the Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS) and the Revenue Collection and Management Information System (E-LogRev).The IRAS system was deployed in 124 sites, with an investment of UGX 20.07Bn, while E-LogRev was installed in 49 government sites, with a rollout cost of UGX 6.28Bn. The implementation of both systems resulted in a significant surge in revenue collection, with revenue increasing from UGX 31.67Bn in FY 2019/2020 to UGX 56.35Bn in FY 2022/2023 (78% increment). Similarly, E-LogRev increased from UGX 21.63Bn to UGX 34.17Bn (58% increment).
Among the enrolled sites, 11 fully embraced IRAS, while 107 partially utilized it, and six did not use it at all. For E-LogRev, 41 fully embraced it, and eight partially utilized it out of the 49 enrolled sites. Staff training was conducted for only 52 out of the 124 IRAS-installed sites, and none of the nine visited IRAS sites had an approved IT staff structure or personnel to handle IT-related matters. Similarly, all E-LogRev-installed sites lacked an approved IT staff structure. The findings highlight challenges faced in implementing revenue systems in local governments. Notably, a significant number of activated local governments and E-LogRev users lack sufficient gadgets such as phones, laptops, printers, and point-of-sale machines for effective system operation.
Furthermore, the IRAS and E-LogRev systems are not integrated with IFMS, leading to manual information sharing between the two systems. The IRAS system server is located at the LGFC premises on the 10th floor of Workers House, with no off-site server or backup, contrary to section 4.6 of the National Information Security Policy 2014, posing a risk of data loss for the IRAS system. The delayed installation and failure to use these systems undermine their purpose, while inadequate ICT structures and personnel hinder their optimal use. The lack of user training and integration between systems negatively impact successful implementation. The government should provide necessary gadgets, establish IT structures in local governments, and train users to achieve full enrollment and operationalization of these systems in all local governments.
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