By Spy Uganda
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has hinted on a plan to introduce automated gates at border entry points in order to tighten the noose on trade fraud and other irregularities in cross border trade transactions.
According to the plan, the gates will involve facial recognition checks for business persons crossing the borders in a move that seeks to boost the country’s revenue from imports and exports.
With the system, travellers’ faces will be matched against biometric data in the immigration department database to verify the authenticity of their travel documents.
The URA says the facial recognition gates for passport checks will add to other AI-based technology options already in use such as digital scanners for cargo, barcode readers and other digital cargo tracking systems, the outlet notes.
The Commissioner for Customers at the URA Abel Kagumire is quoted as saying that the biometric gates are already available and their installation at the Busia and Busitema border points for a start. Both are along the country’s southeast border shared with Kenya.
The URA hopes that with these innovations, it could increase its customs revenue to nine trillion Ugandan shillings (US$2.4 billion), up from the six trillion (US$1.6 billion) collected last year.
