Addis Ababa,July 31(ENA)--Some 80 per cent of tax and non-tax revenues in Ethiopia to date comes from public enterprises, Minister of Revenues Getachew Belay has said.

Belay was speaking here on Thursday at a discussion forum with the private press on the new tax reform program.

Getachew said, the private sector contributions in the tax and non-tax revenues have remained minimal as some entrepreneurs evade taxes and others pay taxes much lower than their incomes.

Thus, the revenue collection system has been putting pressures on the public enterprises to the effect of marring investment, he indicated.

It was deemed necessary to rectify the imbalance and inequity as bigger private enterprises evaded taxes while smaller ones lived up to their responsibilities, Getachew said.

According to the Minister, the new tax reform program was being enforced with a view to bringing about fair and equitable tax administration and collection system. He said, it would also be instrumental in discouraging illicit business operations.

The Ministry earlier conducted an awareness raising forum involving members of the state-owned media so as to enabling them inculcating the significance of the reform program in the society.

Getachew called on the private media to play roles in promoting the tax reform program through objective and constructive criticisms.

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