…Investigates over 200 whistle-blowing tips

Uche Usim, Abuja

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The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Sunday announced the suspension of two senior tax officials in Delta and Benue states in the ministry’s efforts to sanitise the tax administration and revenue collection system in the country.
The minister made the disclosure in Abuja while presiding over the meeting of the Whistleblower Unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA).
According to her, the Federal Government has also begun investigation into over 200 whistle-blowing tips on tax officials and taxpayers, which involves under declaration of taxes by taxpayers as well as demand and receipt of gratifications by tax officials.
She assured that the government would not rest on its oars until it weeds out dishonest tax operatives and ultimately cleans up the system. She said the sanitisation of the tax administration and revenue collection system was part of the government’s efforts at enhancing the willingness of citizens to pay their taxes.
The minister said, “the ministry is currently analysing over 200 additional whistle-blowing tips including recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which various practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were detailed.
“These practices include demands for personal gratification by tax officers, promises to procure backdated tax clearance certificates and offers to conspire to reduce taxes payable.”
In order to deal with the influx of the whistle-blowing tips, the minister has directed the reorganisation of the Whistleblower Unit to fast track reports relating to those in revenue generating agencies.
“Encouraging our citizens to pay taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust. Those who work in our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level of integrity. The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari understands that to reduce our reliance on oil means every citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.
“However, people will not be encouraged to pay if they believe that those involved in the assessment are not transparent or are dishonest. We will continue to sanitise the system and also improve our controls,” the minister stated.