Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Abakaliki & District Society, Thursday, inducted its first female chairman, Mrs. Nnachi Justina.
Mrs. Nnachi, emerged as the first female chairman of the society following a peaceful election that was conducted during the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the District society in Abakaliki.
Members of the new executives inducted along Mrs Nnachi include; Mr Irem Sylvester (1st Vice Chairman), Cyril Agbo (2nd vice chairman), Larry Nwanoke (Secretary General), Uche Enogwe (Financial Secretary), Office Cornelius (Assistant Secretary) and Chigozie Ohanede (Publicity Secretary).
Also, Steve Onwukwe (Treasurer), Chima Eze (Technical Secretary), Moses Nwankwo (Membership Secretary), Angela Onyibe (Society for Women in taxation), Kingsley Onyekezie (1st Ex officio) and Edith Okoronkwo (2nd Ex officio).
In his remarks, the National President of the CITN, Mr. Adesina Adebayo urged the new executive members to ensure healthy collaboration with government agencies to enhance tax practices toward building the Nation.
He charged them to be diligent and steadfast in the discharge of their duties and work by the organization’s code of competence.
Mrs. Nnachi, who expressed her felt Felicity over her induction as the first female chairman of the CITN, Abakaliki & District society with praises to God unveiled a 6-point agenda towards uplifting the organizational standard to equate best practices across the Country.
“Following my emergence as the first female Chairman of this institute, I have come to terms that a lot needs to be done to place the District on a higher pedestal in the committee of other Districts in Nigeria.
She emphasized the need to uphold the ethics and ideas of the association while serving as the Chairman of the District with the support of her executive members.
“we can move the institution to the higher altitudes we all clamor for”. she said.
The chairman explained that the failure of the oil revenue has necessitated tax practitioners to work in synergy with the Federal government for tax advocacy, advisory, and enforcement of the Nations sustainable economic development as well as the States.
“I and my team have designed some clear-cut activities during my tenure in line with the long-term strategic mandate of the Institute. They include”;
Tax Education:
She said; “We are going to undertake citizenship tax education which will involve enlightenment and awareness of the privilege that accrues to obedient taxpayers, and the consequences of tax evasion and avoidance. Hosea 4:6 records that “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” and “wisdom is profitable to direct” Ecc.10:10b. Being ignorant of the law does not protect one from the forces of the law.
Advocacy:
She added that her administration would seek to synergize and collaborate with other tax bodies to harmonize and establish a common tax denominator that will help tackle the menace of tax duplicity in the state and the country in general
Tax Advisory Desk/Platform:
Mrs. Nnachi maintained that there would be an online tax platform that taxpayers and tax practitioners would leverage to get quick solutions to tax burdens. “The tax Desk shall bring all and sundry into one fraternal family for on-the-spot tax advice”. explained.
Operation Catch Them Young:
” In this administration, we will take Tax education to primary and secondary schools to inculcate tax discipline in those levels of growth. Teach a child the way to go; in the future, he or she will not depart from it. It is important to teach the children the primacy of tax payment to nation-building”.
“Thus, we shall go around schools and teach them about taxation and its essence”.
Competency and IT Training of members of the Institute:
“We shall collaborate with the members in developing practical competencies within current tax domains as well as developing requisite IT capacities to remain competitive in the current global technological trend”.
Membership Drive:
“We shall embark on an aggressive membership drive to pull more people into the Institution’s net. We have competent and well vast tax consultants in Ebonyi State, the government, and companies that are capable of delivering tax services to internationally acceptable standards”.
She called on firms and governments; “to patronize local tax firms who understand our undulating business terrain. Friends and associates, I will enlist all these firms in the platform for quick and easy access by taxi firms operating in Ebonyi State”.
It would be recalled that the election was conducted during the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the District held at Monablis Hotels, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.