Finance ministry investigating 200 tips on corrupt tax officials, payers

The Finance Ministry says it is investigating over 200 whistleblowing tips on tax officials and taxpayers involving under-declaration of taxes and receipt of gratifications by tax officials.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun disclosed this on Sunday while presiding over the meeting of the whistleblower unit in the ministry of finance and the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA).

According to a statement by Oluyinka Akintunde, special adviser on media and communications to the minister, two senior tax officials in Delta and Benue states have been suspended based on “verified tips” from whistleblowers.

“The ministry is currently analysing over 200 additional whistleblowing tips including recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which various practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were detailed,” the statement read.

“These practices include demands for personal gratification by tax officers, promise to procure backdated tax clearance certificates, and offer to conspire to reduce taxes payable.”

The minister, according to the statement, has also directed the reorganisation of the whistleblower unit to fast track reports relating to those in the revenue generating agencies.

“Encouraging our citizens to pay taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust. Those who work in our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level of integrity.

“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari understands that to reduce our reliance on oil means every citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.

“However, people will not be encouraged to pay if they believe that those involved in the assessment are not transparent or are dishonest. We will continue to sanitise the system and also improve our controls.”

The minister urged the public to desist from the procurement of tax certificates that were not consistent with their true income.

She warned against relying on such documents and therefore advised those who might have procured such tax certificates in the past to take advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) to regularise their tax profile.