You are here

ACC reviews proposals to support services, hard-hit sectors with tax department

By Maria Weldali - Jun 06,2021 - Last updated at Jun 06,2021

AMMAN — Council members of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) on Wednesday sat down with Income and Sales Tax Department Director General Hussam Abu Ali, to discuss proposals for supporting services and commerce sectors most impacted by the pandemic.

The ACC, in the meeting, stressed the need to immediately assist sectors most affected by the pandemic and those that are still shut to this day, according to an ACC statement made available to The Jordan Times.

Calling for exempting closed sectors from the fines imposed in the absence of budget submissions, the ACC also demanded an installment payment plan for a period over two years, the statement wrote. 

The ACC also called for the exemption of the agricultural sector from taxes, in addition to addressing the issue of returned cheques, as well as providing Hajj and umrah agencies in Jordan with income tax relief.

Abu Ali showed that the Income and Sales Tax Department is “fully prepared to cooperate and provide facilities involving any of the taxation measures, within the legal provisions”. 

On Thursday, Jihad Al Qasem, an owner of a Hajj and umrah agency, told The Jordan Times that before the pandemic, between 300,000 - 400,000 people from Jordan used to go on Hajj and umrah in a year, but in the last six months only 66 persons from the Kingdom performed pilgrimage.

“There are almost 226 Hajj and umrah agencies in Jordan. Their work is not only connected with the government’s decisions in the Kingdom, but also with Saudi’s decisions regarding hosting Hajj and umrah,” said Qasem, who is one of the sector operators who met with relevant authorities.

Until now no bank here in Jordan wanted to provide credits to Hajj agencies operators, Qasem said, adding that “our sector is totally destroyed”.

“We are in urgent need of government attention,” said Nawash Al Yazjeen, a farmer from the Jordan Valley, adding that if the agricultural system collapses, all aspects of the society will be reversely impacted.

“Greater importance should be given to the Kingdom’s farmers and agriculture sector operators,” he concluded.

 

up
45 users have voted.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF