50 journalists trained on tax administration in Nasarawa

By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia –

A total of 50 journalists from Nasarawa State, have been trained by Afropolitan Media Limited in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), on Nigerian Tax Administration.

The one-day sensitisation workshop took place on Wednesday in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of Nassarawa State.

The theme of the training is ‘the Role of FIRS in Driving the Nation’s Tax Administration for National Building’. 

Speaking at the event, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, Managing Partner, Shehu Mohammed and Co, who is also a facilitator at the event, said the importance of tax payment to the development of the nation cannot be over emphasized.

He explained that citizens have the responsibility by law to pay thier tax and failure of which would attract sanctions.

According to him, sometimes the misunderstanding by people of payment multiple tax, is not really multiple tax.

He further explained that there are different kind of tax by law that is being collected by the various level of government and their agencies.

“Sometimes, it is the tax collected by different agencies as defined by the law that the people assumed to be multiple tax,” the facilitator added.

Ibraheem Ajibola, another facilitator, on his part said the role of journalists to the development of any nation cannot be over-emphasised because the press controls the minds of the people.

He added that over the years, FIRS had carried out a lot of innovations to ease tax administration and ensure adequate and prompt payment.

He further said that there are offices of tax payment at the Federal level, 36 states as well as all the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country.

“In addition to the offices, the revenue agency had introduced online platforms and softwares for people to pay their tax from the comfort of their offices and homes.

“There are also social media platforms to lodge complaints and seek for clarification where responses were given immediately,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Afropolita Media Ltd, Hajiya Aisha Umar-Halilu, said that the workshop was aimed at equipping media professionals with the requisite knowledge of tax administration.

She added that when journalists are properly inform about the types of tax, agencies responsible for collection and terminology of taxation, the public can be better inform.

Hajiya Aisha, promised to continue to offer such training to as many Journalists as possible in order to make tax administration effective and efficient.

The training, which had in attendencejournalists from prints and electronic media, featured questions and answers session.