CITN advocates sustainable tax culture for economic dev’t
By Vivian Emoni
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), on Tuesday, tasked government at all levels to build an efficient and effective sustainable tax culture for sustainable economic development.
Mr Samuel Agbeluyi, President of the CITN, said this in Abuja, at the 26th Annual Conference, with a theme: “Sustainable Tax Culture and Economic Roadmap for Nation Building”.
Agbeluyi said that government at all levels have a great role to play, adding that taxation demands utmost level of professionalism due to its critical importance to economic sustainability.
“In building a sustainable tax culture, government have a vital role to play. In furthering efforts at sustaining a tax paying culture, it is important to emphasise judicious use of tax revenue.
“This is to engender trust between government and taxpayer, thereby entrenching a tax paying culture and by extension, contributing to nation building.
“Taxation is not merely about revenue collection, it is about building a sustainable future for our country.
“It is about creating a culture where every citizen understands the importance of contributing fair share toward national development.
“It is more importantly about prudently using tax policies as a roadmap to drive economic growth, social inclusiveness and prosperity for all,” he said.
Agbeluyi emphasised the need to invest in technology, adding that the efforts would help people to effectively track revenues in the digital space, including cryptocurrency to maximise government revenue flow.
He said that CITN converged tax experts to critically examine challenges in Nigeria’s fiscal and tax environment with a view to providing solutions for the consideration of policy makers in that regard.
He said that it was necessary to provide support to the revenue authorities by way of financial and administrative autonomy to empower them to effectively administer taxes.
According to him, as a commitment to fully enforce the implementation of Act No. 76 of 1992, redesignated as Cap. C10, Law of Nigeria, 2004, confers on CITN the powers to regulate the taxation profession in all its ramifications in the country.
He, however, urged government at all levels to create career path for tax functions within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to promote professionalism and efficiency.
Dr Yemi Sanni, the Chairman of the conference, said for Nigeria to achieve meaningful physical development, it is imperative to establish a tax culture that would withstand economic challenges.
Sanni said that government was prioritising the improvement of tax revenue for physical performance as the leading professional body in taxation in Nigeria.
According to him, the emphasis on “sustainable” is deliberate, adding that it requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders including the government tax professionals and tax payers themselves.
“It is our responsibility to support these efforts by convening gatherings like this conference.
“We provide a platform for deliberation and collaboration with the aim of developing actionable recommendations that will help the government achieve its desired objectives.
“As we delve into the intricacies of taxation and economic development, I encourage you all to take sometime to relax, network and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow professionals.
“This conference offers opportunities for learning and building lasting connections and friendships. I want to assure you that we have assembled a line up of distinguished facilitators who are experts in their respective fields.
“I urge you to actively engaged in discussions, share your insights and take advantage of the weight of knowledge that will be shared during this conference,” he said.
Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Special Guest of the occasion, encouraged government of all levels to be more committed in ensuring that people were more equipped with knowledgeable skills needed to build on effective tax system.
Amosun was also former Governor of Ogun State.
Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, Governor of Sokoto, in his remark, said that the state generates about N3.4 billion internal revenue quarterly.
Aliyu said that the state was committed to collaborating with CITN and other relevant stakeholders to achieve a tax driven economy.
He appreciated members of the CITN and other stakeholders for working assiduously towards ensuring that the conference was a huge success. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali
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