Prime minister orders full disbursement of overdue income tax refunds

AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Wednesday ordered the full disbursement of overdue income tax refunds for the years 2020–2022, in addition to 50 per cent of the refunds for 2023.

The prime minister also directed the development of a plan to expedite the processing of remaining overdue refunds within 2025, recognising its positive impact on citizens and the national economy.

Hassan also tasked the minister of finance with transferring JD26 million to the Income and Sales Tax Department to initiate the disbursement of the accumulated refunds and implement gradual payments, according to a Prime Ministry statement. 

The announcement came during the prime minister’s visit to the Ministry of Finance, where he met with Finance Minister Abdulhakim Shibli, directors-general of the Income and Sales Tax Department, the Department of Lands and Survey, the Customs Department, and the acting secretary-general of the Ministry.

The prime minister emphasised the importance of completing the national electronic invoicing system at all stages, stressing its role in ensuring tax fairness and streamlining procedures for both citizens and businesses.

He also underscored the need to enhance services for citizens and investors, accelerate transaction processing and establish a swift response mechanism for all incoming issues.

Hassan also highlighted the urgency of automating and digitising government services, stressing that data archiving would serve as a crucial tool for decision-making.

Regarding the Customs Department, Hassan called for faster procedures and the adoption of global best practices, emphasising the swift completion of a new customs system, which will serve as a digital hub for all customs services.

He also stressed the importance of implementing post-audit practices to ensure the immediate processing of data upon arrival, saving time and effort for applicants.

Hassan also highlighted the need to review the legislation concerning the Department of Lands and Survey, improve its services, expand their availability at government service centres and fully automate these services by the end of 2025.

Regarding capital projects in the budget, the prime minister emphasised the need to accelerate spending and ensure timely completion, whether for projects approved by the government or provincial councils.

He also received updates from the directors-general of various departments on work progress, plans and upcoming projects in each sector.