The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has listed why Nigerians don’t pay taxes and how the federal and government at other levels can encourage citizens to pay taxes for local and national developments.
President of the CITN, Mr. Samuel Agbeluyi, said this at the formal commissioning of ‘The David Olorunleke House’, CITN Abuja Liaison Office in Abuja.
He said the commissioning of the edifice and naming it after Chief David Olorunleke, who they also regarded as the ‘Doyen of Taxation’ in Nigeria, indicates the importance of the celebration, especially for an institute that started with less than 10 members 42 years ago.
“The questions that the billions paid by Nigerians as tax could not be felt and how it is affecting citizen’s obligation to pay taxes is a major issue in our system. This is arising from the trust deficit we have within the system.
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“That is part of our advocacy. We tell the government at federal and at the subnational that whatever you collect, please use for the good of the people. By the time you do that, we build the confidence which has been eroded over the years.
“Once we build the confidence, people will come and do what we call voluntary compliance. Once there is voluntary compliance, the cost of collection will reduce, and we’ll get more money for public expenditure.
“It is not a dash or a day journey. It is a journey that we must take to make it enduring, because that is the way out. Tax revenue is the only avenue that can make us to live in a civilized environment,” Agbeluyi said.
He said the issue of non-state actors collecting taxes from Nigerians and which were not accounted for are being addressed, including involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
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