Leader of the Community Tax Liaison Officers (CTLOs), Paul Ajiroba, had disclosed that about 500 individuals and 20 companies have complied with the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) in Kwara State.
A CTLO is a young Nigerian graduate who has been trained by federal agency and deployed to various communities to raise awareness and educate citizens at all levels on the tax system in Nigeria.
Ajiroba, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin the state capital on Thursday, said: “When we started campaigning and sensitising the public about the importance of keying in by declaring their assets, but the people were reluctant in Kwara State.
“We let them realised that declaring their assets will enhance revenue generation through taxes collection by federal, state and local governments in return use it for infrastructural development. With this conviction people began to embrace the scheme.
“Going by our statistics, about 20 companies and no less than 500 individuals have keyed into the programme in Kwara State. More people are willing to declare their assets if there is opportunity, he said.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government has extended the deadline for the VAIDS to June 30, 2018.
The Scheme provides a platform for non-compliant taxpayers to make honest declarations to the tax authorities and pay the required taxes in exchange for a waiver of accruing interests and penalties.
The CTLO leader however, called on other tiers of government to support President Buhari-led administration by providing basic amenities so that the people can feel the dividends of their tax, just as he urged the federal government to change the tax system whereby the rich will pay more and poor people pay less in the country.
On their sensitisation programme he noted that apart from covering Ilorin metropolis some of their colleagues have been deployed to Kwara north and Kwara south senatorial districts to reach people at the grassroots.
“The Penetration of the scheme to these people have started yielding positive result with the level of their compliance.
“Kwarans are trying in terms of tax payment/remittances considering the fact that the state has been rated as the fifth in the last few among other states of the federation by the federal Inland Revenue service (FIRS),” he said.
