‘There is need for tax related matters to be handled by only professionals’.
This was made known by the Acting Executive Chairman of Imo State Internal Revenue Service (IIRS), Mr. Justice Okoye during a courtesy visit of the delegates of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Owerri District Society led by the Chairman, Professor Luke Chukwu, at the IIRS Headquarters Owerri.
Mr. Okoye welcomed the ICAN delegates stating that he is proud to be a fellow of the institute.
He disclosed that those who represent taxpayers on tax issues must be professionals registered with CITN, ICAN or ANAN. He also stated that such professionals would register with IIRS showing evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (if entities), Practicing License, Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) with a stipulated fee.
Okoye stressed that the institute has a major role to play in sensitising their members and taxpayers at large on being tax compliant. He promised to join the institute at the meetings held monthly.
Key challenges affecting tax compliance were broadly discussed. These include: touting, fake receipts and double taxation.
Members of the institute looked forward to being engaged in tax drive to enhance effective compliance as they interact often with taxpayers.
The ICAN Chairman, thanked the IIRS Chairman and assured him of the Institute’s collaboration when needed. He also urged IIRS Staff who are members of the Institute to participate at the forthcoming annual conference either virtually or physically.
The IIRS Chairman thanked the ICAN Chairman and his team. He promised that the challenges would be a thing of the past with the new tax management system to be deployed soon, in addition to effective enlightenment and enforcement.