The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland
Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Kabiru Mashi, has called on the Nigerian Film Industry
(NFI) to always sensitise the grass roots on need to pay tax.

Mashi made the call on Tuesday at the 5th
edition of the ongoing Zuma Film Festival in Abuja.

He said the film industry as a commercial
tool for disseminating information and would be useful to convey tax
information to people at the grass roots.

He urged the film industry to continue to
enlighten the masses across the country on why “it pays to pay tax’’.

“The film industry is important to our
national development.

“It is a powerful medium through which
stakeholders can be educated and enlightened on how tax can help our economy
and the foundation for sustainable development,’’ he said.

He said that doing that would change the
global perception of the country as well as boost revenue generation.

The FIRS boss commended the leadership of
NFI for its effort in helping to project positive image for the country.

Mr Muhammed Umar, the Director-General,
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) in his speech, vowed
to bring entrepreneurial knowledge to bear in the film production process.

Umar said that since small and medium
enterprises were potential employers of labour and developing films would
promote values, unity and progress in the polity.

“SMEDAN will help develop and grow small
and medium businesses in the film sector for the emergence of a new generation
of high-heeled filmmakers and entrepreneurs,’’ Umar said.

The Director-General, however, urged
participants to take advantage of the series of lectures as it would contribute
in defining their future and that of Nigeria.

Reports
say that the Zuma Film Festival held from May 6 to May 9 has the theme:
“ The Human Story: Connecting People’’ with the topic “Filmmaker as a Social
Realist and Cultural Heritage’’.