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From: LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
An expert in tax administration and a lecturer at Lagos State University, Prof. Abiola Sanni, has advocated full autonomy and political will from the federal and states government for tax collectors to enable them perform optimally
Sanni, a who is with the faculty of Law University of Lagos made this suggestion in llorin, the Kwara capital during the second edition of quiz competition on tax collection and administration for students in Secondary Schools, in Kwara State.
The quiz competition which was sponsored by the Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KWlRS) in conjunction with the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.
The professor of tax law, who was the special guest of honour at the event, stressed the need for the strengthening the tax institutions by both the federal and states government to enable them deliver to aid infrastructural development.
He called on the states Government to inaugurate a tax authority establish by a legal framework to assist social and economic of their states.
His words, “Give tax collectors in the country full autonomy with legal backing to enable them collect fund that can aid the development of the country.”
Sanni urged the Federal Government to find a quick solution to what he described as low level of tax compliance in Nigeria by individuals , organisations and agencies.
“The level of tax compliance in Nigeria is six percent which is the lowest in the world and this is not economically advantage as a nation,” Sanni lamented.
He commended the foresight of the Kwara State lnternal Revenue Service for organising the annual quiz competition and advised other states to emulate
Governor Alhahi AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara State, who was represented by his Chief Economic Assistant, Mr. Yomi Ogunshola, said the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment for tax collection in the state.
Chairman of the Kwara Internal Revenue Service. Dr Muritala Awodun, while speaking with newsmen at the sideline of the event said the aim of organising the annual quiz was to intimate the importance of tax to younger ones.
He said the motive of the programme was to further improve tax education and advocacy among residents of the state.
At the end of the quiz competition, Government Girls day Secondary School Oko-Erin, Ilorin emerged the overall winner of the second edition of the Senior Secondary Schools Tax Club Quiz Competition with half a million naira cash prize.
Governnent Secondary School, Lafiagi came second with N250,000 cash prize while Government Secondary School, Ilorin came third with N150,000 cash prize
A total number of thirty six senior secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state participated in the quiz competition.
