JTB CHAIRMAN URGE STATES TO LEVERAGE ON TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST THEIR REVENUE PROFILE

JTB CHAIRMAN URGE STATES TO LEVERAGE ON TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST THEIR REVENUE PROFILE

The Chairman, Joint Tax Board (JTB), Muhammed Mamman Nami, has urged States Internal Revenue Service to properly leverage technology for enhanced revenue generation in their States.

He made this admonition at the 146th Meeting of the JTB with the theme: “Leveraging Technology Solution for enhanced administration of indirect taxes.” Nami, who doubles as the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said that it is imperative to do so considering the significant role technology plays in all spheres of life.

He stressed that e-taxation will greatly help minimize errors and human manipulation, thereby reducing revenue leakages, limit tax evasion and significantly improve the fiscal position of state governments amidst the current economic challenges.

The Chairman pointed out that without technology, a lot of people are presently making money, unfortunately, from not remitting/paying appropriate taxes to governments.

He said the essence of the meeting was to, among other things, provide tax authorities in the country an avenue to brainstorm and come up with workable solutions towards mitigating challenges in the tax system. He called on relevant authorities to pay attention to all legal means that would enhance their operations and assist them in meeting their mandates.

Nami added that technology will also assist the authorities in creating platforms that would ensure seamless exchange of information and data which are critical to the tax system and administration.

In her opening remarks, the Secretary, JTB, Nana- Aisha Obomeghie said the theme was carefully chosen to enable tax authorities discuss extensively on the global trend which if properly utilized would add value to the nation’s tax system and administration. She said the JTB, as the umbrella body of tax authorities in Nigeria, would always strive towards creating a tax-friendly environment and technology is a means to achieve the envisaged success.

Mrs. Obomeghie said the quest of tax authorities to share information and data which are very vital in the system could hardly be achieved without technology hence tax authorities should leverage on the very important factor for the purpose of generating adequate funding for governments to execute viable projects for the citizenry.

In her presentation, Director of Change Management, FIRS, Ms. Chiaka Okoye, said deploying e-tax solutions by tax authorities at both Federal and State levels is the way to go if at all the authorities intend to achieve their mandates. She warned that unless technology was embraced to administer and remit taxes, fiscal positions of the States look bleak.

A cross section of members of the Board expressed optimism that with improved technology, leakages abounding in the tax system will greatly be minimized.