The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) labour unions, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Ebonyi government are to collaborate in enhancing tax justice in the state.
This, they noted, would be achievable through mass education and the enlightenment of tax payers.
The initiative was part of issues emanating from a tax awareness march on Monday at the Margret Umahi International Market, Abakaliki, by members of civil society organizations.
The event was organised by the Neighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement (NIWA), a civil society organisation, in collaboration with the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, with support from the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and OXFAM.
Mrs. Nancy Oko-Onya, the lead director of NIWA, who addressed traders during the sensitization march at ‘Lot 3 of the Market, regretted that the tax system in the state oftentimes placed a heavy burden on the poor and low-income earners.
She called for proper assessment before taxation to avoid crippling budding business enterprises in the state with their resultant economic hardship on the citizens.
Oko-Onya, who is also the Ebonyi host of the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, called for total automation of revenue collection in the state to address the issue of leakages.
She maintained that cooperation between the citizens and government would enhance revenue accrual to the government for development while restoring the confidence of tax payers.
She added that mutual antagonism on tax matters between the government and citizens would be drastically reduced when the government used tax revenues to address citizens’ basic needs as well as encourage tax collection agents to respect the human rights of citizens.
Oko-Onya said: “Also, we have been advocating against using third parties—contractors—who are not trained to collect revenues with their untrained boys as task forces.
“This has caused fights and conflicts on a regular basis.
“Most times, there is no tax assessment by revenue officers, making people tasked above their earning capacities.
“I think it is high time both the government and the civil society organizations, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), teamed up to ask questions and have tax education in the state.
“Let’s have a tax grievance address mechanism.”
Oko-Onya commended Gov. Francis Nwifuru for recently inaugurating the state Revenue Appeal Commission (RAC) and his directive to spare petty traders from market taxes.
She called on the commission to make itself accessible to the populace as well as establish appropriate channels of communication for addressing concerns of tax payers.
“We call on the newly-inaugurated Revenue Appeal Commission to have a relationship with the citizens and create awareness about their existence and how the citizens can access them.
“They should not only focus on serving the government’s interests; we are talking about tax justice, we are talking about equity, and we are talking about the distribution of resources generated in the state.
“The Commission should also play a part in that it shouldn’t only be about collecting revenue but also about what you do with the revenue collected; it should be about tax for service,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Christopher Okorie, the Ebonyi Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said that tax payment by citizens was necessary for development in any society.
He cautioned that the process of revenue drive and collection should have a human face, respecting the rights of citizens.
He stressed that the commission was ready to organise trainings for revenue collectors in the state to enhance their approach to revenue drives.
Others who spoke, including Mr. Fidelis Mbam, the chairman of the Lot 3 traders union, appealed to the government and its revenue agents to avoid imposing multiple taxes on them.
He also appealed that revenue accruing to the government through the various taxes should be properly utilised in providing tangible basic amenities in the market and for the entire citizenry.
Mbam expressed optimism that the present administration in the state would address their concerns. (NAN)
