Paschal Emeka, Abuja
The National Coordinator and founder Association of Concerned Citizens of Nigeria on Revenue and Economy, (ACCNRE) Orji Philip Orji has stated that the statutory mandates of the proposed National Inspector General for Tax Crimes Commission (NIGTCC) is expected to among other things protect the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) employee against improprieties and external threats and corruption; provide policy direction, conduct, supervise and coordinate audits and investigations related to FIRS programmes and operations.
Addressing the press during a public hearing on a Bill seeking for the Establishment of National Inspector General for Tax Crimes Commission (NIGTCC), on Friday, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Orji, who is also a tax analyst, added that the proposed NIGTCC would review existing and proposed legislation and regulations related to FIRS programmes and operations and make recommendations concerning the impact of such legislations or regulations, promote economy and efficiency in the administration of the tax laws; Inform the auditor general and the legislative congress of problems and deficiencies identified and of the progresses made in resolving them.
According to him, “apparently, it’s the duty of the legislators, the (MPs) to fast track the passage of NIGTCC bill into law as the watchdog in our tax administration, to save the lives of our unborn generations because the MPs cannot leave their legislative duties to engage in the day to day 24/7 oversight of the FIRS.
“Do we have the potential, capability to progress and equally promote our economy through taxation? Yes, we have the market size as an advantage; we have the untapped areas, such as international taxation, property tax, proper remittance of withholding taxes, VAT and consumption taxes with the modern information technology.
“Men of the press, ladies and gentlemen, if my suggestions, recommendations and my five years strategic framework can be implemented, we shall witness a tremendous inflow of tax revenue of over 30% ratio to our GDP.
“Observation, showed, that this type of tax revenue economic recovery methods, has been tested in USA, from 1972 – 1998, the USA was the highest in the increment on tax rates, yet the IRS was not able to make any improvement in meeting its target in tax revenue, generating just 900 billion to 1.2 trillion dollars annually, before TIGTA came on board in 1998, that was when their MPs became surprised that the tax revenue hit 2 trillion dollars in 1999, President George Bush, President Barrack Obama and President Donald Trump all did what they call TAX CUT (tax reduction), yet the tax revenue of the USA continued to grow higher, now the tax revenue of the USA is close to 4 trillion dollars per annum.
“There’s no country in the world that was able to adopt the global best practice of transparent, efficient and accountable taxation system that did not grow economically.
He informed that the NIGTC vision is to maintain a highly skilled, proactive and diverse Inspector General Organization dedicated to working in a collaborative environment with key stakeholders to foster and promote fair tax administration. While the mission is to provide quality professional Audit, Investigative and Inspection and evaluation service that promote Integrity, Economy and efficiency in the Nigeria tax administration.
He said the core values of the NIGTC will be Integrity; maintain the highest professional standards of integrity, personal responsibility, independence objectivity and operational excellence in pursuit of NIGTCC missions.
On the organizational innovation of the NIGTC, he stated that the model innovative practices in Organizational structure, Organizational programmes and process, Audit, Investigative and Inspection and Evaluation, Methodologies and the Application of Advanced Information Technology.
He therefore, urged Nigerians to prevail on the National Assembly and Mr. President to pass the National Inspector General for Tax Crimes Commission Bill into Law, because the first human right and democratic struggle in the world started from upholding a transparent taxation system.