To ensure that taxpayers comply with the payment and filing of tax returns, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has decided to take strong action against negligent taxpayers.
The Acting Executive Chairman of the Service, Haruna Abdullahi, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the leadership of the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) in Abuja.
According to Abdullahi, it is no longer business as usual, and the FCT-IRS is mandated by law to recover all unpaid tax debts and punish tax evaders.
The Service is prepared and committed to ensuring that every taxpayer in the FCT is accountable and responsive to their civic responsibilities.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday by the Head of Corporate Communications, FCT-IRS, Mustapha Sumaila.
He stated that “we need to change that, we are engaging the Judiciary, Security Agencies, the media, and other relevant stakeholders on this matter, and I can assure you that before the year ends, people will be held accountable.”
“We are ready, we have built our capacity, and we intend to make our mark and ensure that people do what they are supposed to do under the law.”
“We will be guided by the Personal Income Tax Act, the Finance Act, the FCT-IRS Act, and, of course, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Abdullahi, who assured the Tribunal of the Service’s internal capacity, charged members of the Tribunal to justify the law’s trust in them by working tirelessly to bring recalcitrant taxpayers to justice.
The acting executive chairman listed some of the tangible benefits that the collaboration will bring to both parties and the country, including voluntary tax compliance, visible expansion of the tax net, awareness creation of FCT-IRS processes, and the responsibility of the Tax Appeal Tribunal.
Others, he claims, include stricter enforcement actions, which will result in a significant increase in revenue generation.
He stated that by taking this step, more individuals and agencies will be held accountable for failing to pay taxes on time. This aligns with the Service’s engagement with the judiciary, security agencies, and other stakeholders.
Abdullahi described the visit as a step in the right direction and expressed satisfaction with the Tribunal’s speedy adjudication of cases.
Hajara Bolanle Oniyangi, the Coordinating Secretary of the Tax Appeal Tribunal, expressed her delight at the visit by the FCT-IRS delegation in her response.
According to Oniyangi, the Service must capitalize on all legal avenues of revenue generation.
She went on to say that as a revenue-generating agency, there will inevitably be disagreements between the Service, displeased taxpayers, and Agencies, which is why the Tax Appeal Tribunal was established.
Speaking about the initiative’s benefits, she stated that the Tribunal’s processes are simple and clear, with a reputation for timely judgment delivery.
Mrs Oniyangi praised the Acting Executive Chairman’s efforts and acknowledged the important role of publicity in increasing compliance.
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She also emphasized the importance of the Service increasing its awareness and sensitization efforts, stating that taxpayers cannot be entirely blamed for non-compliance if they are not adequately informed about the process, benefits and drawbacks of paying their taxes, and vice versa.
In his remarks, the tribunal’s Secretary, Mr Ahmed Aliyu, expressed satisfaction with the Service’s efforts to strengthen enforcement to increase FCT-IRS revenue collection.
“For example, if there are organizations that collect personal income tax and fail to remit, it is sometimes difficult to go in there and force them, but there is a Tribunal created by the government for that purpose, and once a judgement is delivered by the Tribunal, even if they want to appeal, they will have to pay the money first.”
