By Joy Baba-Yesufu
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has said that the financial autonomy for local government (LG), including appropriate reforms, will curb the unwholesome and uncivilised practice of touting and using non-state actors in revenue collection.
The institute said the initial move, which arose from an unstructured political and ineffective tax system, even though the practice was aimed at augmenting poor revenues, leaves the system very inactive.
Acting Registrar/Chief Executive of CITN, Afolake Oso, in a statement, urged chairmen of local governments to commit themselves to ensuring civil approaches in the collection of taxes and levies due to the local government within the confines of the laws and to allow the proper functioning of the local government revenue committee.
According to her, the rule of law must be upheld in the collection of levies and taxes, including the need to deploy technology and well-trained officers for greater accountability and enhanced collection.
She called for the cooperation of local government chairmen and officials in the implementation of the yet-to-be-released tax reforms being proposed by the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reforms headed by Taiwo Oyedele, which she said have great promises for all the tiers of government.
Oso said more than ever before, more accountability, prudence and transparency were required from the players at the local level, toward ensuring judicious use of resources for prompt payment of salaries of workers, provision of health and social services, educational facilities and infrastructural development among others.
The CITN chief executive added that the financial autonomy for local government including appropriate reforms would enhance economic activities leading to improved employment generation, reducing rural-urban migration and level of criminality at sub and national levels.
According to her, this will promote fiscal federalism and true autonomy at the sub-national level, thereby enhancing the delivery of democratic dividends to the populace.
