October 10, 2019

Bill Gates said Nigeria has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratio in the world. The co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation said the government has to win the confidence of the people. Gates said this will allow the people pay more tax knowing it is for development The co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has asked the Nigerian government to win the confidence of the citizens in order to get them to pay more tax. The Cable reports that Gates said without the credibility of the government, Nigerians will not pay tax. He said Nigeria tax-to-GDP ratio was small and should be raised but this must be done with the confidence of the people on the government. According to him, if this is not done, the government can get into trap where citizens don’t feel like paying and won’t be supportive. He said: “One challenge that Nigeria has is that the amount of money that the government raises domestically is quite small compared to other countries. “A lot of countries at that level will be raising closer to 15 percent of GDP and Nigeria is one of the lowest in the world down at about 6 percent. And so, it is a huge challenge that when you want to fund infrastructure, health, education, all those things, that over time the tax collection, the domestic resources are going to have to go up quite a bit. “That’s a long-term effort and I think partly by making sure the current resources are spent well like on primary health care, you gain the credibility that the citizens will say, okay, we want more of these things.” Gates said Nigeria remains a priority for the foundation and made reference to the work done on polio eradication. He said: “Nigeria is a super-important country and one that the foundation has an office there. We did a lot of work in Nigeria on polio and we learned a lot doing that. Nigeria has gone almost three years now without having a polio case. “The biggest priority we have, although making absolutely sure we’re done with polio remains a big priority, now we’re able to focus even more on the primary health care system.” Meanwhile, the PDP advised the federal government to reverse its decision to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5% to 7.2%. The party in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Thursday, September 12, in Abuja said that the PDP rejected the decision. Ologbondiyan said that Nigerians could not bear such burden under the prevailing economic situation. Rekindle public confidence in judiciary, Gov Okowa urges judicial officers “The PDP insists that the decision to increase VAT on already impoverished citizens is in bad faith and cannot be justified under any guise.”   Source: Legit

Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said his administration would explore avenue provided by the Tax Appeal Tribunal to ensure quick resolution of tax matters in the State. He stated this on Monday while declaring open a one-day Stakeholders’ Forum organized by the Tax Appeal Tribunal Northwest Zone, held at Tahir Guest Palace. Ganduje represented by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna noted that the need for timely and correct payment of tax by all taxpayers is a civic responsibility that should be encouraged at all levels. “It is clear that all over the world, taxes, levies and charges constitute the most sustainable sources of revenue to Government for executing development projects. Where they are not paid, Government has to resolve to legal options of filling cases against defaulters at the tax appeal tribunal for adjudication. “So, as Government uses revenue from tax sources to execute major programmes and projects in the areas of education, health, skills development, agriculture and infrastructure for the wellbeing of the good people of Kano, a high sense of responsibility is develop “. The Governor said Kano State Government had taken full advantage of the jurisdiction factions of the Northwest panel of the Tax Appeal Tribunal. “Out of the thirteen cases inherited by the Tribunal after its inauguration on November 5th 2019, records have shown that eleven of the cases came from Kano State Government. Out of the eleven, nine cases have been amicably resolved and settled “. In strengthening this substantial progress achieved by the State on tax appeal tribunal, Ganduje said it will further encouraged the State Internal Revenue Service and Local Government revenue committees to present all unresolved revenue cases to the tribunal. The Governor however called on the Stakeholders to actively participate in the interaction to utilise the opportunity provided, adding that the State through its Internal revenue service would embark on sensitization campaign to create awareness on the tax appeal tribunal. Earlier, the Chairman Tax Appeal Tribunal, Northwest Zone Barrister Umar M. Adamu explained that the forum aims at bringing together taxpayers, tax authorities and tax practitioners from the three tiers of Government to discuss issues pertaining tax and tax tribunal. Umar explained that Tax Appeal Tribunal was created by law under section 59 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service establishment act of 2007 which serves as disputes resolutions mechanism between the taxpayers and tax authorities. “When it comes to rendering its judgement, all what the tribunal is care about are the substances of the cases before it,” he assured. During the one day Stakeholders Forum, Professor Kabiru Isa Dandago of Bayero University Kano presented a paper on’ Mission and Vision of Tax Appeal Tribunal.   Source: News Bay