The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has cautioned against violent approach in tax collection, stating that such could be counterproductive.
President of CITN, Samuel Agbeluyi, maintained that such uncivil habit more common at local governments was bad for tax payers who he said should be treated like king.
According to Agbeluyi who spoke during a pre-conference chat ahead of the institute’s 26th tax conference holding in Abuja, tax payment at the three tiers of government was crucial to achieve wider development goals, however cautioned against taxing Nigerians, particularly those at the lower rung of the ladder to poverty.
“There should be no coercion. People should not be fearful, rather they have to be motivated,” he stated.
He identified indiscriminate and multiple taxing of investment as unsustainable tax practices and detrimental to economic motive.
He expressed concern that some states still collect up to 62 taxes, even as he commended efforts of Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms at streamlining taxes and sanitising the tax space.
“Unlike monetary policies, it may take time to see the efforts of this tax committee as economic activities will not take quick response to stimulant. It is also essential that implementation of tax policies should cut across the three tiers of government so these results can roll in with speed and also spread out,” he added.
On the forthcoming conference themed, “Sustainable Tax Culture and Economic Roadmap for Nation Building”, Agbeluyi said issues around tariff, economic growth and impact assessment of the manufacturing sector, amongst others will take the centre stage between May 13-17 date of the conference.
