President Goodluck Jonathan has launched a nationwide tax identification number and the new national tax policy aimed at entrenching what he called a “better and improved tax administration in the country.”
The president launched the tax policy before the national economic council meeting in Abuja on Thursday where he described the policy as a revolutionary tax administration.
According to him, the new tax policy holds immense potential not just for expanding the nationwide tax base with consequent increase in revenue collection accruable to all tiers of government but also a big step in the modernization of Nigerian tax system in line with global best practices.
The president restated the need to institutionalize a tax culture among Nigerians so that Nigerians can see themselves as custodians of the tax system and the nation’s commonwealth which is in partnership with the government.
President Jonathan took a swipe on his critics saying they do not pay tax and they under-value themselves when the government goes tough on them.
“Most of the social critics who come on television, radio and write in the paper don’t pay tax. If at all they want to buy land or one thing or the other and the governor of the state insist they must pay tax, they under-value themselves” he said.
He also noted that some affluent Nigerians also under-value themselves when it comes to paying tax. “Some Nigerians who travel abroad every month, travel first class pays tax that is not up to the tax a level four officer pays.” “In other countries, these are criminal offices” he added and warned that all of these anomalies will soon be addressed.
He says it is only when one pays tax that he can talk of taxpayers money as well as challenge anybody he thinks is mis-using public funds.
He later issued the new tax identification cards to the governors of Anambra, Kogi, Niger, Ekiti, and Ogun state
