In calling for advocacy and tax education for change in taxpayers’ attitude and moral, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has said taxpayer education is a panacea and an important component of the revenue administrations’ effort to build a taxpaying culture.
Chief Akpabio, who made this known on Wednesday during the 16th Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, said Tax was not just a compulsory levy imposed on citizens by the government, but a civil responsibility, duty and expected obligation which every eligible citizen must perform.
Represented by his deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe, the Governor said “Tax compliance could be voluntary where there is good governance and tangible evidence of what government is doing with taxpayers’ money,” maintaining that accountability, transparency, rule of law participatory governance, were ingredients that build citizens’ trust and confidence in government to the extent of rendering their civic obligation and responsibility willingly.
He said it was in correcting these anomalies that the theme of the conference, “Achieving Optimum Tax Compliance: Challenges and Sustainability” became apt and timely, adding “this is the story of Akwa Ibom State. By the grace of God, this administration has risen to the need of the people, provide basic infrastructures, amenities and show sterling evidences of what taxpayers’ money can do. It is what the whole world refers to as Uncommon Transformation.”
The Governor commended the organizers of the conference for their patriotism and implored them to let their experience and knowledge lend credence to participants.
Speaking, the President and Chairman of Council of the institute, Chief Mark Dike, said the conference, which has remained the single largest gathering of tax professionals with over 2000 delegates in attendance yearly, has been a veritable platform where issues of concern in the Nigerian tax system and economy are discussed.
He said the theme of the conference was chosen with a clear intent of discussing and appraising a fundamental challenge in the country’s tax system, which has become the recurring problem of low tax compliance.
“In arriving at the theme for this year’s conference, we mindful of the environment we have found ourselves, where unfortunately, tax compliance is abysmally low. According to the PWC ‘Paying Taxes 2014’ report, a comparison of tax system in 189 countries worldwide rate Nigeria’s tax administration among the least friendly. This situation has been fuelled by the citizen’s loss of confidence in the ability of government to provide public goods and services and also account for revenues collected in a transparent manner,” Chief Dike explained.
He went further to say “the tax system is continually evolving even as its generic relevance remains the same. This is why we must push forward with reforms and initiatives to bring about an efficient tax system that is fair to all and without prejudice to none.”
Chief Dike listed corruption; weak governance structures; lack of political will to change the status quo; multiple taxation; low tax awareness and apathy amongst citizens, and the “resource curse” syndrome, as being the bane of Nigeria’s tax system.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Conference, Mr. Adekunle Adeolo, expressed delight for the choice of Akwa Ibom State as the venue of the 2014 conference, saying it was because of its remarkable transformation, tourism, investment opportunity and the unflinching support the institute has so far enjoyed from the state Governor.
He said “it was with a view of making this conference the best ever, that we are organizing the first ever E-Conference in this part of the world. Participants are entitled to a CITN customized internet enabled android tab where all papers to be presented during this conference have been pre-loaded. This among other innovations, which you would be privy to, are geared towards making this conference the best ever in the history of our tax conference.”
The event, which was declared open the State Governor, had also in attendance the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akan Okon, professionals from sister institutes within the West African region and paper presentation by the Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Isa Yuguda; Lead Tax Partner, Mr. Fatai Folarin; Professor Jack Uche-Osimiri of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, and Professor Ntiedo Umoren of University of Uyo.
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