- Investigates Over 200 Whistle-blowing Tips, Axes 2 Senior Officials
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The Federal Government is determined to sanitise the nation’s tax administration and rid the revenue collection system of corrupt operatives.
Consequently, investigations have commenced into over 200 whistle-blowing tips on tax officials and taxpayers, particularly in relations to under declaration of taxes as well as demand by taxpayers and receipt of gratifications by tax officials.
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who chaired a meeting of the Ministry’s Whistle-blower Unit and the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) in Abuja on Sunday, said government has commenced the process of flushing the tax system of bad eggs.
She said current efforts are also part of measures by the present administration to encourage citizens and boost their enthusiasm to pay their taxes.
Adeosun also confirmed that given verified tips from whistle-blowers, the Finance Ministry has requested and secured the suspension of two senior Tax Officials in Delta and Benue States, adding that; “The Ministry is currently analysing over 200 additional whistle-blowing tips, including recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which various practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were detailed.”
According to the Minister, “These practices include; demands for personal gratification by tax officers; promises to procure backdated tax clearance certificates; and offers to conspire to reduce taxes payable.”
She said to deal with the flowing streams of whistle-blowing tips, the Whistle-blower Unit is being re-organised to fast track reports covering the activities of staff in revenue generating agencies, stressing that; “Encouraging our citizens to pay taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust. Those who work in our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level of integrity.
“The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari understands that to reduce our reliance on oil means every citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.”
Maintaining that it would be difficult encouraging citizens to pay their taxes if they believe that those involved in the assessment are not transparent or are dishonest, the Minister said; “We will continue to sanitise the system and also improve our controls.”
The Minister stated that there is no more room for fraudsters to compromise the integrity of the tax administration and revenue collection system in the country, even as she praised the public for volunteering valuable information, including voice recordings and other evidence to the Whistle-blower Unit for necessary action
In a statement by her Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Oluyinka Akintunde, the Minister however urged members of the public to shun the act of procuring tax certificates not consistent with their true income status.
Mrs Adeosun, who warned the public against relying on such phony documents, charged those involved in such noxious activities in the past to regularise their tax profile by taking advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).
“We have cases of procurement of tax clearance certificates with no corresponding records or assessments in the tax offices. In such cases, although payments have been made but there are no underlying assessment. So automatically, we will flag such companies for investigation.
“The data analysis being undertaken within the Federal Ministry of Finance is readily exposing those who have obtained tax clearance certificates that are either forged or are not consistent with their true income levels”, the Minister said.
