Tax bodies tasked on public enlightenment on tax compliance

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar,on Monday  advised the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) and the Joint Tax Board(JTB) to redouble their efforts at sensitising tax-payers to  government’s sincerity to improve their lives.

Abubakar made the call when he received the Chairman of FIRS and JTB, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, and his colleagues in his palace in Sokoto.

The sultan said the Service and the board should also sensitise the people on the need to contribute to national development by paying their taxes regularly.

According to him, public enlightenment and sincerity of purpose on the part of the authorities are ways to ensure that Nigerians will voluntarily pay tax.

The sultan recalled the way emirs used to conduct tax assessment of eligible tax payers in towns and villages in the past, saying the approach ensured that the people paid their taxes voluntarily.

He said that adherence to teachings of holy scriptures by Nigerians was a significant factor to ensure that honesty manifested in indiduals’ dealings with the relevant authorities.

According to him, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom to do the right things and do things right in both in private and public lives.

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He said that if people feared God in all their activities, there won’t be any problem in the country.

Earlier, Fowler had told the sultan that the JTB was in Sokoto to hold its 139th meeting.

He said the role of the board was that of harmonisation of personal income tax and offering advice to the government at all levels on tax-related  matters.

Fowler appealed to the sultan to help the board in sensitising Nigerians to the need to be tax compliant.