FCT-IRS SENSITISE STAKEHOLDERS ON USAGE OF TCC, GIFMIS PLATFORM & IPPIS
By Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT- IRS, has organized workshop to sensitize Ministries Departments and Agencies on the proper use of tax clearance certificate, IPPIS & GIFMIS Platforms .
The Executive Chairman FCT- IRS, Mr Haruna Abdullahi who said the training become necessary to guard against wrongful remittances, reiterated the commitment of the service to collect all revenues acruable to the FCT.
The workshop which was organized in collaboration with the Joint Tax Board (JTB) and office of the Accountant General of the Federation is aimed at instilling the culture of paying taxes correctly by individuals and MDAs.
Mr Haruna explained that the workshop would serve as an eye opener to residents and staff, as well as broaden the horizon of tax administrators and stakeholders with a view to correcting past errors associated with deductions and remittances.
The FCT- IRS Boss was emphatic that very soon, tax clearance certificate, TCC , would be demanded from taxable residents before they can access certain services in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Mr Haruna highlighted such services to include: seeking contract in Government offices, appointments, bank services, land application among others.
His words “FCT-IRS as a revenue generating agency in the nation’s capital, Abuja must enlighten the people on issues related to tax clearance, considering how important it is at the moment. Without tax clearance an individual will not enjoy certain services at the national and sub-national level.It is good for individuals to file their taxes in the appropriate places. FCT-IRS is indeed on the GIFMIS platform, and our code is 100419.” He said .
In a paper presentation on the differences between taxes payable to FCT IRS and Federal Inland Revenue, FIRS, the Tax Controller, in Charge of FCT- IRS, Mr Salisu Abubakar said company taxes are paid to the Federal Government, which FIRS represents, while PAYE & MDAs are paid to state internal Revenue, which FCT- IRS stands for.
He therefore urged MDAs and Individuals to always file their returns as and when due, even as he warned that failure to remit on or before the end of January for MDAs attract sanction of #500 thousand naira.
Also, the Deputy Manager, GIFMIS, Mr Adeoti Olasunkanmi opined that GIFMIS provides core financial management, cash planning, reduces significant delay in payments, enhance accountability and give room to Auditors to work effectively.
Speaking from a professional Lens with Africa247 on practical experience, the Chairman Chattered Institute of Nigeria, CITN, Dr Kennedy Iwundu stressed the need to have a simplified format of making tax payment easuer for taxable residents.
According to Dr Iwundu, tax administrators should “make simplicity and certainty” their watch word in revenue collection and issuance of tax clearance certificate, without over burdening the tax payers.
In a vote of thanks, the Director, Tax Operations, FCT-IRS, Mr Malik Tukur thanked all stakeholders for participating and urged all tax payers to prioritize the payment of their taxes.