FG Should Investigate Affluent Nigerian’s Tax Payment

The former Assistant Chief Inspector of Taxes, Federal Inland Revenue Department, Mrs. Morenike Babington-Ashaye, has called on the Federal Government to investigate the actual tax payment made to the government purse by wealthy Nigerians who are flaunting their acquisitions without evidence of tax returns.

Babington-Ashaye who is also the former Chairman of the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service said it is by so doing that the government can effectively defend transparency and accountability in the society.

Speaking at an event to sensitize the public on a public lecture on Taxation and the Society Governance – A Case for Nigeria slated for next week in Lagos, she said majority of Nigerians are not paying taxes because they are unemployed and some do not have a source of livelihood.

She said the Nigerian constitution presently does not enjoy wide-spread legitimacy which in turn affects confidence in government because structurally the constitution has created wastage in public administration, duplication across the tiers of government and disintegration of people that have common languages, cultures, and values.

The tax and revenue expert said the public lecture is not to criticise the government but to sensitise the public on the importance of being partakers in our own governance as it will address four main topics for discussion which are the Nigerian constitution, the Cost of Governance, the Welfare of the Society, as well as Transparency and Accountability.

“This is the time we must take governance seriously and ensure that all structures, processes and procedures that can engender good governance are put in place. Nigeria has no business with poverty and poverty has no business with Nigeria. We are so wonderfully blessed by God with natural and human resources. We ought to be the envy of all nations”, she said.