Opinion
On Tax Dodging Strategies
As an old police officer, an investigative journalist and a research fellow, one takes keen interest in nosing around to find out what is brewing in one’s neighbourhood. Leaving aside other malfeasance that are obvious, tax evasion is quite relevant in view of the need to stress human tendency to get even with a system that operates on the basis of chicanery and mendacity. Tax dodgers would say bluntly that they have no moral obligation to contribute towards the sustenance of a corruption-driven system, where tax collectors operate a “black hole” strategy. The black hole leaks into private purse.
After the Dele Giwa saga, the tribe of research journalists became an endangered species, but even then, the habit of nosing around remains a noble tribute to the profession of journalism. The urge to pay clever administrators back in their own coins began during military intervention in politics, particularly after the “Gulf War wind-fall” and the way that an Okigbo panel report on the issue was handled. When a people perceive that they are being hoodwinked by a cult of elites, the reaction usually includes tax evasion, or sit-down-and-watch attitude.
Ask church members how they react, seeing their General Overseers buy private jets and build private universities, their answers would be that tithes, donations, offerings and sowing of seeds have reduced. Ask university students why examination malpractices are common, they would tell you that the malfeasance would stop when Nigeria can have free, fair and malpractice-free elections and operate a corruption-free public administration. Then ask Nigerian business entrepreneurs their attitude towards tax payment and you would be told that they have issues with correct tax remittances and equity in tax assessment.
Strategies in tax evasion include operating of business activities in obscure places – private residences, gardens, kitchens, etc. With massive loss of jobs in recent times, small-scale business operators set out even without registration of the business names or observing regulations on company laws. That would be like asking thieves to tell the police details of their activities. Ranging from fisheries, cattle ranching etc, to different kinds of production and manufacturing, entrepreneurs engage in packaging, repackaging, book pirating and fabrication of various goods, in privacy.
Paints, cosmetics and other chemical manufacturing companies operate in residential areas, without any environmental impact assessment and other business clearance documents. Not even any name for purposes of identification! Of course, reasons for such concealment and clandestine operations include tax evasion and keeping the eyes of kidnappers away from such operators. Residents in such neighbourhood may have faint ideas of such activities through some unbearable smell, noise or when quarrels arise when some customers get short-changed. Police would not come!
Water and drug packaging are common clandestine business operations and tax evaders. After the death of Professor Dorah Akunyili, illegal drug business operators have emerged again with hardly believable bravado and strategies. So also brothel business, jokingly called “slaughter houses,” of which there are increasing numbers in urban towns. Many of them even operate in private homes. Such slaughter houses charge as much as N5,000.00 for one hour outing spent in privacy. Intimidation and threats await any intruder into such taxable businesses by their operators. Do tax collectors ever check the cash books of such houses of lewdness?
Even schools and consultancies operate in such manners and premises that tax agencies rarely know anything about. Perhaps it would not be wrong to say that the most clever and sanctimonious tax dodgers and evaders are religious bodies that grow fast and operate on commercial basis. Such cash-and-carry strategies include levies for some exorcism and redemption purposes, for which there are numerous “ministries”. Money-spinning businesses should be liable to taxation and auditing.
Perhaps, illegal bunkering has deliberately been made to receive great attention while illegal mining which is equally an economic malfeasance, goes on in some parts of the country, unchecked. Economic crimes go beyond bribery and corruption, but tax evasion which is a part thereof, deserves stricter attention. Tax equity is a part of democratic ideals.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
Opinion
Why Reduce Cut-Off Mark for C.O.E ?
Opinion
Welcome! Worthy Future For R/S
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
-
Politics2 days ago
Bayelsa APC Hails Late Buhari As Change Agent In Nigerian Politics
-
News2 days ago
Shettima, Atiku, Obi Attend Buhari’s Fidau Prayer In Daura
-
News2 days ago
JAMB Uncovers 9,469 Fake Admissions In 20 Tertiary Institutions
-
News2 days ago
NAF Disowns Recruitment Adverts, Says It’s Fake
-
Nation2 days ago
Alumni, Others Launch Campus Care Initiative In Port Harcourt
-
News2 days ago
Rivers Chief Judge Frees 21 Awaiting Trial Inmates
-
Politics2 days ago
Natasha’s Counsel Writes Senate Over Court Judgment
-
Nation2 days ago
NIPR Practitioners Urge To Go Beyond Traditional Media Relations To Strategic Leadership Functions