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President Jonathan Seeks ICAN's Support in Move Against Tax Evaders(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday presented what appeared to be a performance scorecard to members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) who converged in Abuja for their 44th annual conference to discuss the concept of public interest. He told the gathering that his administration has deployed all public resources within its control in good conscience for the public good in the country as can be seen in improved budgetary implementation and physical projects executed. A recent joint report by the Budget Office of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation indicates that budget implementation by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government has considerably soared with the least implementing agency - the Federal Ministry of Environment- recording 46 per cent utilisation mark while the record of unspent funds returned to the treasury at the close of the account has equally dramatically shrunk to only N35 billion for the fiscal year 2013 just passed by. Jonathan Tuesday said his administration was prepared to do more for the public good but was hampered by scarce resources. He then implored the ICAN members, most of whom audit business entities in the country, to assist the government to block many revenue leakages, particularly in taxes, by exposing tax evaders who are in their millions so as to recover their tax obligations to enable government deliver more services to the people. Jonathan who was represented at the conference by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, painted the ugly situation in the dodging of taxes in Nigeria, saying: "We will forge on in our implementation of sound macro-economic policy, and we call for ICAN's support particularly as we work on improving government revenues." According to the president, "an FIRS diagnostic carried out in 2012 revealed that as many as 65 per cent of registered tax payers have not filed their returns in two years, 75 per cent of MSMEs are not in the tax system and 35 per cent of companies operating under the Pioneer Status Incentives abuse their tax exempt status. The FIRS is currently working with McKinsey to plug these holes through a set of seven key initiatives and increase non-oil revenues by at least N75 billion this year. We have already begun to see positive results and we recognise that our success will be dependent on the support, professionalism and integrity we get from ICAN members who audit many of these companies' accounts." Jonathan stated that in spite of this daunting challenge, his administration has gone ahead to provide services to the people. He presented some of the key deliverables in some sectors including housing, communications and ICT, power, agriculture, oil and gas sector and infrastructure. "The professionalism and continued support of ICAN and other such professional bodies is indispensable to this administration as we push forward the Transformation Agenda. I am glad that thus far, this support has been unreservedly forthcoming. I can proudly and confidently say that the progress and achievements that we have recorded would not have been possible without the support of Nigerian professionals such as you. Let me share some of these key achievements with you at this juncture." Meanwhile, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has reconstituted an anti-corruption unit to recover tax liabilities and prosecute fraudsters stealing tax revenue in the country. And with a charge to taxpayers and staff to steer clear of sharp practices and a call on one of the nation's anti-graft agencies to help stoke tax compliance in the federal system, the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, was yesterday reconstituted. The ACTU is headed by Queensley Seghosime, Coordinating Director, Direct Reports Group, DRG--a veteran of investigative tax work in the FIRS. It has 12 other members, including Director, Office of the Executive Chairman, Junila Takon. The development is contained in a statement by the Head of Communications and Liaison of the Tax Agency, Mr. Wahab Gbadomosi. He said the Acting FIRS Executive Chairman, Alhaji Kabir M. Mashi gave the Unit the charge: "As you (ICPC: Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) do your work, please help keep an eye on the tax issues. Please look at the tax issues so MDAs could come and comply and pay taxes. When MDAs deduct taxes--say PAYE (Pay As You Earn of their staff or other taxes and they do not remit. Or when they deduct (Withholding taxes and VAT- Value Added Taxes) and do not remit, they are defrauding the Federal Government and taxpayers." Copyright The Guardian. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |