The Ebonyi State Government, Civil Society Organisations Nigeria Union of Journalists and Nigeria Labour Congress have been called upon to collaborate in enhancing tax justice in the state through mass education.
The call was part of issues that emanated from a tax awareness march held on Friday in Abakaliki, the state capital.
The event, at the Margaret Umahi International Market, was organised by Neighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement, a civil society organisation, in collaboration with Tax Justice and Governance Platform with support from Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre and OXFAM.
Speaking during the event, the Lead Director, Neighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement, Nancy Oko Onya, regretted that the tax system in the state often places heavy burden on the poor and low income earners.
She called for proper assessment before taxation to avoid crippling budding business activities in the state with its resultant economic hardship on the citizens.
Onya, who is also the Ebonyi State Host, 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 accruable to the government for development while restoring the confidence of taxpayers.
She added that mutual antagonism on tax matters between government and citizens would be drastically reduced when the government uses tax revenues to address citizens’ basic needs as well as encourage tax drivers to respect the human rights of citizens.
Onya emphasised: “Also we have been advocating against using third parties to collect revenues, contractors who are not trained with their untrained boys as task forces.
“This has caused fights and conflicts on a regular basis.
“Most times there are no tax assessments by revenue officers, making people to be taxed above their earning capacities.
“I think it is high time both the government and the civil society organisations, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Nigeria Labour Congress teamed up to ask questions and have tax education in the state.
“Let’s have tax grievance redress mechanism.”
While commending Governor Francis Nwifuru for recently inaugurating the state Revenue Appeal Commission and his directive to spare petty traders from market taxes, Onya called on the commission to make itself accessible to the populace as well as establish appropriate channels of communication for addressing concerns on taxpayers.
She said: “We call on the newly-inaugurated Revenue Appeal Commission to have a relationship with the citizens, 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, we are talking about 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.:
The Ebonyi State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Chris Okorie, acknowledged that tax payment by citizens was necessary for development in any society, but cautioned that the process of revenue drive and collection should have a human face, respecting the rights of citizens.
Okorie emphasised that the Commission was ready to organise training for revenue collectors in the state to enhance their approach to revenue drive.
Others who spoke, including Fidelis Mbam, the Chairman, Lot 3 Traders Union, appealed to the government and its revenue agents to avoid imposing multiple taxes on them.
Mbam also asked 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.
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He expressed optimism that the present administration in the state would address their concerns.
Prior to the event, NIWA and its partners had carried out advocacy visits to relevant government Ministries, Departments and Agencies with the message of enthroning tax justice in the state.
The Tax Justice and Governance Platform has presence in 26 states in Nigeria with regional and international affiliations.
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