Nigerian Tax Practitioners Urged to Embrace Professionalism for Enhanced Tax Administration
WARRI/Nigeria: In a bid to bolster the standards of tax administration across Nigeria, tax practitioners have received a resounding call to uphold professionalism in their roles. The appeal was made by Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata, Chairman of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service, during a courtesy visit to his office in Warri today.
Members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Asaba and District Society, along with the Society of Women In Taxation (SWIT), gathered to meet Hon. Ighrakpata, who emphasized the pivotal role taxation plays in societal development. He stressed the imperative for tax practitioners to exhibit a higher level of professionalism, whether as tax consultants or as revenue authority personnel.
During the meeting, Hon. Ighrakpata disclosed ambitious plans to fully automate the state’s revenue generation processes by the first quarter of 2024, a move aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency.
Hon. Ighrakpata also encouraged members of these professional bodies to utilize the whistleblower policy recently approved by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. This policy is designed to boost revenue generation by incentivizing tax consultants and stakeholders to provide discreet information leading to the recovery of owed taxes, with rewards for the whistleblowers.
Mr. Emmanuel Okonta, Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Asaba and District Society, commended Hon. Ighrakpata on his appointment and expressed the desire to collaborate with the Revenue Service to improve revenue generation in the state. He urged the Service to adopt modern technology, automate its processes, and invest in staff training.
The event also saw the presence of Mr. Paul Itawansa, Executive Assistant to the Chairman, and Mrs. Juliet Uwejeyan, Coordinator of the Society of Women In Taxation. The call for heightened professionalism among tax practitioners in Nigeria serves as a significant step toward advancing the country’s tax administration processes and, subsequently, its economic development.
