Speaker of the 8th Kwara state House of Assembly, Professor Ali Ahmad, Wednesday, recounted how the legislature under his leadership saved the state from whopping sum of N21 billion bond which the state would have serviced at the capital market.
He also advised the federal government to tarry a while on pursuing its proposed tax reform bill and focus more on addressing issues of “trust deficits” to pave way for the bill and encourage voluntary tax compliance.
To achieve these, Ahmad said the media cannot afford to go to sleep but play a critical role in ensuring that government come to terms with the concerns of the people, especially where there are divergent positions on the issue.
Ahmad spoke at the strategic media seminar organised by the Sobi Fm chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara state council, in collaboration with the Nigeria Media Parliament in Ilorin, themed: “The Role of Media in Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Tax Reforms Legislation.”
He said unless government at the states and federal levels ensure transparency in tax administration, tax evasion, corruption and non-voluntary compliance by citizens and corporate organisations will remain an issue.
“Once there is transparency in the tax regime, people will comply and pay tax voluntarily, and the nation will be on its path to development,” he said.
