FG Reconstitutes Tax Appeal Tribunals

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

About eight Tax Appeal Tribunals have been reconstituted by the federal government across the country.

The tribunals are expected to arbitrate over disputes arising from the operation of federal tax laws and regulations in the country.

The reconstitution of the tribunals was in accordance with Section 2(1) of the Fifth Schedule of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Establishment Act.

They were situated in the six geo-political zones as well as Lagos and Federal Capital Territory (FTC) Abuja.

Each Tribunal is made up of a Chairman and four Commissioners knowledgeable in the laws, regulations, norms and practices of taxation in Nigeria, management and trade.

The Tax Appeal Commissioners are expected to hold office for a term of three years from the date of appointment.

According to a statement issued yesterday, the exercise was conducted by the embattled Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who is battling with an alleged certificate forgery mess.

Mrs Adeosun was quoted in the statement as explaining that the, “The Tribunals would adjudicate over disputes arising from the operation of Federal Tax Laws and Regulations in the country.”

According to her, “The reconstitution of the Tax Appeal Tribunals is an essential part of building tax payers trust and confidence in the fairness of the system and the Federal Ministry of Finance has undertaken a rigorous process to select competent persons on the basis of merit who will be expected to discharge their duties professionally.”

She added that the Ministry sought nominations from a number of professional bodies and stakeholders, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).