Stakeholders Want Nigeria’s Tax Administration Streamlined

Participants at a one-day
training on “Tax Justice and Advocacy”, have  urged government to enact legislation that would streamline tax payment and administration in Nigeria.
They argued that if taxes were streamlined, the excesses of security agents and thugs in tax collection would be checked.
Our correspondent reports that the participants’ consensus was fallout of a workshop organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with the support of OXFAM Novib in Umuahia.
Mr Celestine Odo, a participant, said there was need for only accredited government officials to collect revenues for government, adding that the use of security operatives and thugs to harass people was wrong.
“In most Nigeria cities, there are issues of security agents, thugs and illegal agents harassing the people here and there all in the name of tax collection,’’ he said.
Another contributor, Mr Ibiam Okoro, said that in Ebonyi residents were faced with multiple taxation issue and extortion by fake revenue agents.
Others, who gave accounts of the tax situation in Imo, Anambra, Abia and Enugu said that market traders and tricycle operators were bearing the brunt of heavy taxation in the area.
Earlier in an opening address, Mr Auwal Musa, the Executive Director, CISLAC said the event was organised to sensitise stakeholders on the need for responsive tax payment.