The Executive chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Services leader (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, has described tax education as a key factor to reducing the incessant tax controversies between the government and tax payers in Nigeria.
This was even as he called on individuals and corporate bodies to always consult tax experts for professional guidance in every issue relating to individual or corporate taxation.
Delivering a keynote presentation at a Tax Breakfast Seminar and the launch of the Tax Mobile App put together by KPMG Nigeria in Lagos over the weekend, Fowler who spoke on the theme: Tax Controversy and Dispute Resolution, said the cause of incessant tax controversies between the government and the tax payers are majorly as a result of ignorance of tax administration on the side of tax payers.
He therefore enjoined persons and corporate bodies to take advantage of tax education which FIRS is embarking on across the country using different communications media.
He also charged tax payers to query the source, and any observed errors or omissions in tax letters/statements from Tax authority, saying that no one has the right to bully any tax payers in any circumstance.
“We have our Joint Tax Board (JTB) across states whose rectification with any organization is binding by other tax boards across the federation. So to avoid multiplicity of tax charges, one must know the law permitting such tax and an individual is even free to decline an invitation for Joint Tax Audit, still it is better you even go to Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) where necessary.” Fowler stressed.
Speaking for KPMG, the Assistant Manager, Tax Regulatory & People Services, Peter Nwaobi, said the KPMG Tax Mobile App is a one- stop -shop launched to address all tax related issues, adding that anyone can lodge in a question or complaint via the App and get response within 48-hours.
Nwaobi said the Tax App is free of charge and open to all and sundry who pays tax, saying that it is easier to use most especially in computing Personal Income Tax (PIT). “with this App one can know if one’s employer is prudent in managing one’s PIT or otherwise, it contains tax decided cases and it’s been updated daily with tax and finance information.