LAGOS – By Victoria Hanson Nigerian journalists have been charged to do more to investigate issues relating to taxation in the country.
A former president of Chartered Institute Of Taxation In Nigeria, Mrs. Adebimpe Balogun , gave the charge while speaking at the Wole Soyinka Centre Media lecture series held in Lagos.
She equally charged governments at all levels have been charged to make judicious use of tax revenues.
Mrs. Balogun spoke on the theme, theme “Tax education, National Development And The Role Of The Media.”
She posited that the media have a great role to play in the dissemination of information relating to tax revenue in the country, noting that insufficient information available to tax payers had created uncertainty and room for leakages in the tax system.
According to her, payment of tax involves all the bodies and organizations and individuals irrespective of one’s status, calling on the media to investigate in order to know the amount of tax paid by the elites.
“Government should endeavour to use the tax revenues for proper production such as provision of good roads, infrastructures, good school system and other facilities to ensure Nigerians feel the impact of good governance “she said.
She listed some of the challenges of current tax system in Nigeria to include multiple taxation by government at all levels which she said impacted negatively on the investment climate in Nigeria; lack of accountability for tax revenue and its expenditure as well as use of aggressive and orthodox methods for tax collection.
Others are the non -review of tax legislation which had led to obsolete laws that do not reflect Nigerians current realities and the increased demand to grow internally generated revenue which has led to the exercise of the powers of taxation to the detriment of the exercise of the powers of taxation to the detriment of the tax payers and therefore bear a higher tax burden than anticipated.
She pointed out that a sustainable tax regime must be dynamic while reforms have to be made promptly.
On her part, Mrs Edobong Akpabio who is the 2nd Vice president Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NECA) called on the government to educate the tax officials, noting that they exhibit bad attitude towards tax payers.
In order to address some of these issues, Akpabio said that government should recognize indigenous businesses rather than foreign investors by reducing their tax.
Also, there should be avenue for redress or resolution of issues concerning tax payers while calling on the media to hold government accountable on revenue collection.
Mr. Simon Kolawole, the CEO of Cable Newspaper Limited said that taxation is a relationship between the state and the society, adding that Nigeria is operating cohesive tax system.
Speaking further, Prof. Ropo Sekoni, Board chair, Wole Soyinka Centre For Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) said that the lecture was designed to examine varying topical issues which bear salience on the performance of the Nigerian media, the health of the country and its democracy in keeping with the fact that only a media that constantly engages in deep reflection will be able to realize its full potentials as a guardian of democracy and tribune of popular cause.
The chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Mr. Tunde Fowler, commended journalists for their efforts in investigation. He was represented by Head, Communication and Servicom Department; Mr. Wahab Gbadamosi.
