By Correspondent in Ilorin
The Society of Women in Taxation, Kwara State Chapter (SWIT),on Tuesday, called on the tbree tiers of government in Nigeria to ease tax payment for the citizens, especially as the country faces economic challenges.
The Outgoing chairperson of SWIT I
the state, Dr Abiola Adimula,made the call when she engaged some students of selected secondary schools in the state in a debate on taxation.
She, however, noted that with the present dwindling income from the oil sector and the struggle from the agricultural sector, nternally Generated Revenue (IGR) provides a true source of income for the government.
“These are special times in the entire globe with the unprecedented COVID-19 and the devastating effects and the number of deaths globally.
”SWIT has realised that the government cannot do it alone and as an association, we support the government in various actions of taxation to ease govt responsibilities and protect the citizens from double taxation.
Adimula said: “We must not forget that the two in one Associations- Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN),the umbrella body of Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT) both work to support the government, not only to improve IGR but particularly to enlighten the public on the importance of their civic roles.
”This should be done in a way that will make people pay with good understanding and less stress for the government,” Dr Adimula said.
On the national level, Adimula urged government at all levels to exercise their responsibility toward cohesion and peaceful coexistence of people.
”The growing insecurity of lives and property is alarming and scary as the national integration of our dear country has been threatened, especially with the recent unrest in the South West.
”All the regions are facing different insecurity issues from herders/farmers clash to Boko Haram insurgency to banditry to kidnapping, militancy and others, tax expert said added.
Adimula said the objective of the debate was to sensitise the public on taxation and to identify the civic role of citizens in supporting governance with payment of tax.
According to her, the programme has six secondary schools from the three senatorial districts of the state are:Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin and St Anthony’s Secondary School, Ilorin from Kwara Central, Tsaragi Unity Secondary School and Government Unity Secondary School,Kaiama from Kwara North.
The schools representing Kwara South are Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo and Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran.
Adimula said the schools were carefully selected to represent their senatorial districts in debating as part of efforts to get the nation out of its economic challenges.
The state Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, commended the organisers for catching them young in terms of carrying students along in understanding the issues surrounding taxation.
Alabi,who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Hafsat Ibrahim, said it was necessary to create awareness on tax, for people to stop seeing it as a form of punishment.
The National SWIT Chairperson, Mrs Kudirat Abdul-Hamid, advised the participants to pursue a career in taxation.
Abdul-Hamid, who was represented by the National Secretary of the Society, Mrs Olaitan Babatunde, commended the state chapter of the body for informing students informed about taxation in their early age.
The Reporters reports that at the end of the debate, GSS, Omu-Aran came first, followed by Oyun Baptist High School, Queen Elizabeth Secondary School and Tsaragi Unity Secondary School in that order.
David Dada, GSS Omu-Aran emerged as the Best Speaker of the debate.
