**Probes 200 Whistleblowing Tips
By Dipo Olowookere
Two senior tax officials in Benue and Delta States have been suspended by Federal Government after they were found guilty of tax fraud based on verified tips from whistle-blowers.
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, made the disclosure on Sunday in Abuja after a meeting of her ministry’s Whistleblower Unit and the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), which she presided over.
The meeting was to review the nation’s tax administration and revenue collection efforts so far. During the gathering, participants also discuss how government can reform and improve existing processes and systems.
Speaking on outcome of the meeting, the Minister said government has commenced the process of sanitising Nigeria’s tax administration and revenue collection system.
According to her, already, the Ministry of Finance has requested and secured the suspension of two senior tax officials in Delta and Benue States based on verified tips from whistle-blowers.
She noted that government was currently analysing more than 200 whistleblowing tips including recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which various practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were outlined in detail.
“We have whistleblower reports of tax officers demanding bribes, promising to procure backdated tax clearance certificates, and offering to conspire to reduce taxes payable. All are being investigated and analysed, and we will take decisive action.
“I have directed the reorganization of Finance Ministry’s Whistleblower Unit to enable them fast-track the analysis of reports related to Federal Government’s revenue generating agencies.”
According to Mrs Adeosun, “Encouraging our citizens to pay taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust. Those who work in our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level of integrity.”
She noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration understands that to reduce the country’s reliance on oil means every citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.
“However, people will not be encouraged to pay if they believe that those involved in the assessment are not transparent or are dishonest,” the Minister said.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the public for volunteering valuable information including voice recordings and other evidence to the Finance Ministry’s Whistleblower Unit. I encourage you to continue to take advantage of all the Whistleblowing platforms.
“Please do not fall for the temptation to procure tax certificates that are not consistent with your true income. If you’ve done so in the past, you should take advantage of the VAIDS Amnesty to regularise your tax profile. The window closes on March 31, 2018,” she said.
Mrs Adeosun said, “If in the past you have obtained tax clearance certificates with no corresponding records or assessments in the tax offices, you now have the opportunity to regularize and do the right thing. Once the VAIDS window closes all defaulters will be investigated and prosecuted.”
She said, “Forged tax certificates, under-declaration of income and assets, procurement of backdated tax certificates—we are analysing and flagging all of these underhand practices and many more. VAIDSNG is your opportunity to come clean. It closes March 31, 2018.”
Adedapo Adesanya