From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
As a part of a supportive strategy to improve tax compliance in Kaduna State, Tax Justice Network (TJN) at the weekend restated the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s), and civil society to improve tax compliance in the state.
To this group, the more people are tax compliant, the more money is available for the government to work for the people, hence, the call for collaboration.
Coordinator of TJN Mr Simeon Olatunde, who made the call during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology, explained that his team visited the government agency to facilitate the development of effective legal and policy regime that promotes fair, progressive, and transparent tax system and administration in Kaduna State.
According to him, “our vision is to have a human society with a fair, progressive and transparent tax system as the basis for promoting sustainable development, eradicating poverty and creating equity for state residents.”
“The Network advocates for equity and inclusive prosperity in Nigeria to foster socio-economic justice through an equitable and fair tax system.”
“TJN is also advocating for pro-poor tax policies and strengthening of the tax system to promote domestic resources mobilization and drive reform to institutionalize transparency and accountability in the public finance management system,” he added.
In her response, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Technology, Mrs Patience Fakai, decried that business owners in Kaduna don’t register their businesses which is a very big problem for them in the ministry.
“We do registration of businesses, all businesses in the State are supposed to register with us but unfortunately only very few come for registration.”
Speaking through the Deputy Director, Business and Industrial Development Department (BID), Bayei Peter Naman, the Commissioner tasked business owners in the State to register their businesses with the ministry.
“As long as you are doing business in Kaduna State, you must register with business premises registration, it is through these that the ministry generates funds for the government,” she said.