By YUSUFU IDEGU, Jos –
The Chairman of the Tax Appeal Tribunal, North Central Zone, Barr Richard Bala has said the presence of the tax tribunal has minimize impunity in the relationship between tax payers and tax authority across the country.
Bala made the remarks in his welcome address during the one day sensitization workshop for tax stakeholders in the zone.
According to Bala, “The tax tribunal is mandated to resolve disputes between aggrieved tax payers and tax authorities in a fair, flexible, speedy, convenient and affordable manner so as to reduce the incidences of tax evasion.
While ensuring fairness, transparency in its dispute resolution mechanism, the chairman vowed to instill public confidence in the tax system.
He said, “The jurisdiction of the tribunal also cover wide areas including laws for the assessment, collection and accountability of revenue given to the federal government as may be made by the national assembly from time to time or regulations incidental to those laws which covers power, duty and obligations on the federal inland revenue service.
“Others include laws imposing taxes and levies within the FCT, law imposing collection of taxes, fees and levies collected by government agencies and companies including: penalty for gas flared, deport levies and licences, fee for oil exploration license, oil mining lease, oil production license, royalty etc
“The jurisdiction of the North Central Zone covers Nassarawa State, Benue State, Kwara State, Kogi State, Niger State and Plateau State.
Bala noted that since the assumption of office in 2018, the tribunal has handled and resolved 10 cases with a total cash value of over N456 million and having 8 pending cases, saying the tribunal has the capacity to do more hence this sensitization workshop for stakeholders
He added that the tribunal offers a win-win situation for all parties and mean no harm to tax payers and tax authorities.
In her remarks, the coordinating secretary of TAT Barrister Bolanle Oniyagi encouraged Nigerian citizens to feel free to patronise the tribunal across the country because the tribunal operates informal method of dispute resolution in the most cheaper and flexible manner. “You can go through the court without a lawyer because it is another opportunity to fight for your right” she said.
While declaring the workshop open, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong who was represented by his deputy Prof Sunni Tyoden assured tax payers that the tax tribunal is out to protect them from exploitation by tax agencies and should take advantage of the tribunal to seek protection for their businesses and financial transactions.
Participants at the sensitization workshop complained of multiple taxation by all tiers of government and urge the tribunal to also resolve class of interest between federal, States and local government who are the tax collectors.
The stakeholders also discussed issues relating to high cost of filing cases at the tribunal.
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