Vincent Ezenagu
The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) has supported Nigeria’s tax reforms which culminated in the new tax laws, describing them as necessary for economic growth and development.
The recently-inaugurated Executive Secretary of the continental body, Ms Mary Baine, made the support known during a visit to the chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
A statement by Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman said ATAF stands by Nigeria in reforming its fiscal landscape and pledged the readiness of the body to give technical support in areas that would help in realising the gains of the reforms.
She referenced how the organization had helped Zambia to build capacity in the area of raising revenue from mining, promising to offer support to Nigeria in the same area.
According to her, ATAF is willing to leverage Nigeria’s continental and global influence to mobilise member-countries to strengthen the organisation.
“When you look at the strategic vision of FIRS, we see the things you are doing and the way you’re changing the tax system, the kind of reforms and the time that it has taken and of course the movement forward.
“So, we applaud you, and I wanted to say that ATAF is here to say that we stand with you, we applaud you, and we’re ready to provide whatever support that could lead to its success.
“In terms of your strategic vision— people, technology and data, we find that this is something that is really critical for the rest of the continent and that it is an area where ATAF will be happy to support as well,” she said.
The FIRS chairman, while welcoming the visitors, expressed confidence in the capacity of the Executive Secretary to lead ATAF to glory.
He charged Africans to look inwards for homegrown solutions to challenges, stressing that salvation cannot come from the Western world.
“My belief has always been that solutions to Africa’s challenges can only come from Africa. There is no free lunch anywhere. I have said that I don’t believe in aids; I believe in cooperation.
“There is a saying that when you are not on the table, you are definitely on the menu. So, Africa must be on the table and that is it. We should stop being on the menu. That is my charge to you.
“So, the expectation from us as a continent is also to bring what we can contribute to the work, most especially in tax matters. For us, we have to evolve our own fiscal policies which is what Nigeria has done with the new tax laws.
“Before now, we had tax laws that were colonial relics. We had the Stamp Duties Act of 1939 which was enacted when there was no internet,” he said.