Group Trains 50 Journalists In Nasarawa State On Tax Administration

Fifty Journalists in Nasarawa State have been trained on how to report tax issues.

The training was done by Afropolitan Media Limited in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The one-day sensitisation workshop took place at Karu Local Government Area, where the Managing Partner, Shehu Mohammed, and Co, facilitator, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, talked about the importance of tax payment to the development of the nation.

Mohammed explained that “citizens have the responsibility by law to pay their taxes and failure of which would attract sanctions.”

He explained that there are different kind of tax by law that is being collected by the various level of government and their agencies.

“Sometimes, it is the tax collected by different agencies as defined by law that people think are multiple taxes,” the facilitator added.

Also, another facilitator Ibraheem Ajibola, said the role of Journalists in the development of any nation cannot be over-emphasised as the Press control the minds of the people.

Ajibola said that “over the years, FIRS had carried out a lot of innovations to ease tax administration and ensure adequate and prompt payment.”

He further said that “there are offices of tax payment at the Federal level, 36 states as well as all the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country.”

“In addition to the offices, the Revenue agency had introduced online platforms and software for people to pay their taxes from the comfort of their offices and homes.

“There are also social media platforms to lodge complaints and seek clarification where responses were given immediately,” he added.

Also, Hajiya Aisha Umar-Halilu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Afropolita Media Ltd said that the workshop was aimed at equipping media Professionals with the requisite knowledge of tax administration.

Umar-Halilu said that when Journalists are properly informed about the types of tax, agencies responsible for the collection, and terminology of taxation, the public can be better informed.

She promised to continue to offer such training to as many Journalists as possible to make tax administration effective and efficient.

The training that had attendance Journalists from print and electronic media, featured questions and answers sessions.

The theme of the training was ‘The Role of FIRS in Driving the Nation’s Tax Administration for National Building.’

Mercy Chukwudiebere