FG investigates 200 whistle-blowing tips on tax officials, taxpayers
The Federal Government has begun
investigation into over 200 whistle-blowing tips on tax officials and taxpayers
which involves under-declaration of taxes as well as demand and receipt of
gratifications by tax officials.
The government, through the Federal
Ministry of Finance has also commenced the process of sanitising the tax
administration and revenue collection system of dishonest operatives.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi
Adeosun, disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja while presiding over the meeting of
the Whistle-blower Unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Presidential
Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA).
Adeosun said that the sanitization
of the tax administration and revenue collection system was part of the
government’s efforts at enhancing the willingness of citizens to pay their
taxes.
She confirmed that the Federal
Ministry of Finance had requested and secured the suspension of two senior
tax officials in Delta and Benue States based on verified tips from
Whistle-blowers.
The Minister said, “the Ministry is
currently analysing over 200 additional whistleblowing tips including
recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which various
practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were detailed.
“These practices include demands for
personal gratification by tax officers, promises to procure backdated tax
clearance certificates, and offers to conspire to reduce taxes payable.”
In order to deal with the influx of
the whistleblowing tips, the Minister has directed the reorganization of the
Whistle-blower Unit to fast track reports relating to those in the revenue
generating agencies.
“Encouraging our citizens to pay
taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust. Those who work in
our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level of integrity.
“The Administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari understands that to reduce our reliance on oil means every
citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.
“However, people will not be
encouraged to pay if they believe that those involved in the assessment
are not transparent or are dishonest. We will continue to sanitise the system
and also improve our controls,” the Minister stated.
She assured that the Ministry would
continue to root out fraudsters from compromising the integrity of the tax
administration and revenue collection system.
She lauded members of the public for
volunteering valuable information including voice recordings and other evidence
to the Whistle-blower Unit in the Ministry.
The Minister further enjoined
members of the public to desist from the procurement of tax certificates that
were not consistent their true income.
She warned against relying on such
documents and therefore advised those who might have procured such tax
certificates in the past to take advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income
Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) to regularise their tax profile.
Adeosun added, “We have cases of
procurement of tax clearance certificates with no corresponding records or
assessments in the tax offices. In such cases, although payments have been made
but there are no underlying assessment. So automatically, we will flag such
companies for investigation.
“The data analysis being
undertaken within the Federal Ministry of Finance is readily
exposing those who have obtained tax clearance certificates
that are either forged or are not consistent with their true income levels.” –
The News.
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