By Uka Dave
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, CITN, Abakaliki and District Society has inaugurated its 3rd Chairman, Mr Sylvester Irem and the District Executives Committee members to lead the institute for the next two years.
The investiture ceremony which was held at the Staff Development Centre, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital was attended by prominent stakeholders including the 16th President and Chairman of Council of the institute, Samuel Agbeluyi, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Finance, Prof Leonard Uguru, Chairman, CITN South East, Nweke Ubaka Clement, the registrar, CITN, Mrs Afolake Oso, and Ebonyi State former chairman, Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Joseph Ugbor.
Speaking during the investiture ceremony, the CITN President, Samuel Agbeluyi urged the newly inaugurated CITN Chairman and other officials in Ebonyi State to carry their members along.
He further charged them to be more proactive as well as organized capacity - building training for both tax collectors and payers in order to enhance productivity and encourage tax payment
Delivering a lecture on the topic, "Deepening Tax Administration in Ebonyi State through Partnership with CITN, the pioneer Chairman of the CITN Abakaliki and District Society, Barr George Ukpai, described taxation as a critical component of the nation-building development, providing the necessary resources for government functions, infrastructure development and public services.
Ukpai who is the former auditor general for Local governments said that in Nigeria, particularly in Ebonyi State, effective tax administration remains vital to achieving sustainable development goals.
He described Ebonyi as a state endowed with abundant natural resources, agricultural potential and a growing urban population that has a wide scope for revenue generation.
He, however, identified several challenges, including a limited tax base, revenue leakages, lack of awareness, inadequate infrastructure, action against interest, and inadequate technical personnel as the top challenges facing the state taxation system.
He recommended that the CITN should embark on capacity building and training, public awareness campaigns, technology integration, research and development, advocacy for policy reforms and support or revenue diversification to enhance tax administration in the state and other parts of the country.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected Chairman, Mr Sylvester Irem expressed gratitude to the national and state leadership of the body and promised to work towards their vision and mission.
According to him, the CITN was to be the foremost professional association in Africa and beyond to build an institute to serve as a citadel for the advancement of taxation in all ramifications.
He assured of striving to ensure tax administration and practice are agreed upon in Ebonyi State through service, teamwork and integrity by engaging his members in intensive and extensive awareness campaigns to enlighten the tax paying public for a tax friendly environment.
"We are poised to offer professional advisory roles to Government, the tax and revenue paying public through capacity building by way of educating, training and retraining of revenue personnel to help expand the revenue base of the host State (Ebonyi State)".
"It is our desire to deepen tax administration and practice in our dear State through collaboration with revenue agencies of Government especially the internally generated revenue service of Ebonyi Sate to reposition the revenue fortune of the state through professionalism".
"As a call for nation building, the district shall continue to embark on intensive and extensive awareness campaign to mobilize her members and enlighten the tax paying public for a tax friendly environment".
"Sometime last year through the concerted effort of the immediate past chairman,(IPC), we started Tax Education and awareness creation in the state by forming a tax club in Ebonyi State University, this we hope to extend to other tertiary institutions within the State and drive down to the secondary and primary school levels,fostering the need to catch them young by inculcating tax values".
"While recognizing the need for a more innovation and technology driven process in tax administration, we urge all stakeholder, Government, Captains of industries,entrepreneurs and the political class in Ebonyi State to join hands, embrace positive change in the dynamics of revenue collection of our dear state'. He stated.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru, represented by the State Commissioner for Finance, Prof Leonard Uguru underscored that the state experiences many challenges in its revenue service.
"The governor is aware of the problem in the Internal Revenue Service, and with time, it will be addressed because the governor, His Excellency Rt Hon Francis Nwifuru himself has started addressing it gradually, believing the wrongs can be corrected," he said.
Members of the new Executives inducted alongside Mr Samuel Irem, include; Mrs Chioma Ijeoma Okikechi, (Secretary), Mr Cyril Agbo Uchenna, (Ist Vice Chairman), Dr Enogwe Uche Friday, (2nd Vice Chairman), Dr Comfort Omaka Elekwa, (Fin Secretary ), and Dr Kingsley Onyekwere, (Technical Secretary),
Others are: Mr Chima Eze, (Treasurer,) Mr Onwukwe Stephen, (Ex Officio 2,) Mr Cornelius Ukwu Offia, (Ex Officio 1,) Mrs Okpara Maureen Nnenna, (membership Sec), Mr Onwe Kenneth (Assist Sec,) and Mr Egwu Chimezie Publicity Sec
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