Kogi Revenue Appeal Tribunal (KGRAT) has commenced sittings and proceedings aimed at resolving tax and revenue disputes in the state.
Speaking at the tribunal’s inaugural sitting on Monday in Lokoja, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muhammed Sani, commended Gov. Yahaya Bello for the establishment of the tribunal.
Represented by the acting Deputy Director, Public Prosecution in the ministry, Maryam Otaru, Sani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the tribunal was established in November 2022 to resolve revenue and tax disputes effectively in the state.
According to him, the establishment of the tribunal is in accordance with Section 62 of the state Board of Revenue Administration, Harmonisation of Taxes, Duties, Levies, Rates, Fees and Charges due to the State and Revenue Appeal Tribunal Law, 2017.
The attorney-general urged the tribunal members to be courageous in their dealings and be fair and just in the application of the law in the disputes that would be brought before it.
“I have no doubt that with the quality of the members of the tribunal, a good output is expected.
“Government will continue to support the tribunal and the relevant agencies in the process of achieving economic prosperity,” Sani said.
In his remarks, the Tribunal Chairman, Hon. James Seidu, appreciated the governor and other stakeholders for the privilege to serve the state in that capacity.
According to Seidu, Section 64 of the revenue law allows any aggrieved person, who has been assessed and is in disagreement with such assessment and refusal of the revenue service to reverse such assessment, to approach the tribunal for redress within 30 days after the refusal to reverse such assessment.
He stressed that the tribunal’s mission was to resolve tax and revenue disputes in a fair, quick and affordable manner, for the economic prosperity of the state.
“It is our commitment to provide a level-playing ground which will enable any aggrieved person and the state’s revenue service access to a rancor-free revenue tribunal and to ventilate their tax disputes in a simple and non-complicated manner.
“We, as members of the tribunal, have resolved, therefore, to contribute our quota to the well-being and economic prosperity of Kogi by promptly attending to tax disputes without delay,” Seidu said.
Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), Alhaji Salihu Sule, said that the tribunal would reduce the incidence of tax evasion and ensure fairness and transparency in the tax system.
He noted that Kogi was one of the few states in the Northern Nigeria that had established such a tribunal, commending the governor for his commitment to resolving tax disputes in the state.
Sule urged the citizens to take advantage of the tribunal as an avenue to resolve any tax and revenue dispute for the benefits of all. (NAN). READ ALSO:
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