Afropolitan Media Limited, in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has trained 50 journalists in Nassarawa State on how to report tax issues.
The one-day sensitization workshop took place on Wednesday at Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nassarawa State.
Speaking at the event, Malam Shehu Mohammed, Managing Partner, Shehu Mohammed and Company, facilitators of the event, said the importance of tax payment to the development of the nation cannot be underestimated.
He explained that citizens have the responsibility by law to pay their taxes and failure of which would attract sanctions.
He added that sometimes the misunderstanding by people of payment multiple taxes, is not really multiple taxes.
He explained that there are different kinds of taxes by law that are being collected by the various levels of governments 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, Ibraheem Ajibola, another facilitator, said the role of Journalists to the development of any nation cannot be over-emphasised because the press controls the minds of the people.
He added 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 that receive tax payments 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 has introduced online platforms and software’s 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 for 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.
The CEO of the group added that when Journalists are properly informed about the types of taxes, agencies responsible for 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 in order to make tax administration effective and efficient.
The training had in attendance Journalists from prints and electronic media.
The theme of the training is ‘the Role of FIRS in Driving the Nation’s Tax Administration for National Building’.
