20 Judges Trained On Tax-Related Matters In Kaduna | Nairalaw

The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS) on Thursday
trained 20 Chief Magistrate Court Judges designated to adjudicate
on resolving tax-related disputes in the state.

The Legal Adviser to the KDIRS, Mr Francis Kozah, said at the
opening of the training in Kaduna on Thursday that the goal was to
equip the judges with relevant tax laws and procedures in line with
best global practices.

“The laws governing taxation in Kaduna State, particularly
Personal Income Tax and Kaduna Tax Codification and Consolidation
Law 2016, made adequate provisions for avenues for redressing
taxpayers and tax authority’s grievances or disagreement.

“Similarly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited us in
2018 and assessed our mechanism for redressing tax grievances using
the World Bank Tax Administration and Diagnostic Assessment
Tools.

“The essence was to determine if our tax administration, with
particular reference to mechanism for redressing tax grievances,
was in line with international best practices.

“IMF scored KDIRS average and recommended that the service do
the needful to meet global best practices,’’ the legal adviser
said.

He said that in response to these calls, the Tax Appeal Tribunal
in the state was reconstituted to adjudicate on tax issues.

He went further that “Also, Section 49 of the Kaduna State Tax
Codification and Consolidation Law 2016 empowers the chief judge to
appoint courts of competent jurisdiction to preside over tax
matters.

“We approached the chief judge and in compliance with the law,
he designated 20 Chief Magistrate Courts to adjudicate on tax
issues in the state.

“This training is, therefore, the key to empower the judges with
relevant knowledge to enable them to discharge their duties
effectively.

“I see this as a leap in fast-tracking tax disputes in the
state, which to me is a win-win for taxpayers and tax
administrators in the state.’’

Youths Give INEC 14 days Ultimatum to Issue Certificate
of Return to Okorocha

Youths under the aegis of Northern Youths Council of Nigeria
(NYCN) have given the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) 14 days ultimatum to issue Anayo Rochas Okorocha his
Certificate of Return or face their wrath.

The NYCN in a statement signed by its National President,
Comrade Isah Abubakar and made available to PRNigeria in Abuja
noted that it was unconstitutional and against the electoral Act as
amended for INEC to refuse the issuance of Certificate of Return to
Rochas Okorocha after his declaration as the winner by the
returning officer.

The statement reads in part:

We demand that; as a matter of urgency the commission should
without any further delay Present the certificate of return of the
Senator elect in person of Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha to him to
avoid the breach of the constitution

That INEC has no Constitutional right to withhold any
certificate of return of any individual that has been pronounce
elected and returned by the returning Officer, as only the tribunal
can hear electoral matter and offences, meanwhile it’s only a
competent court of jurisdiction that have such powers to deny any
individual either returned or otherwise.

That failure of the commission to present to the winner of the
23rd February election his certificate of return in person of
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha within 14 working days will attract a
massive protest from the youth at the headquarters of the
commission Abuja.

We wish to categorically state that our citizens will not sit
and watch institutions like INEC being bastardized by some few
individuals at the detriment of our hard-earned democracy.

That INEC has failed woefully as they have chosen to hearken to
the voice of their paymasters and deep pocket individuals to the
detriment of Nigerians who have spoken though their votes by
throwing the country into their so-called inconclusive
elections.

That INEC leadership has taken it upon themselves to sabotage
our hard-earned democracy by frustrating the electoral process to
suit some individual interest at the detriment of our Nation and
making mockery of our Nation.

Comrade Isah Abubakar
National President,
Nortrhern Youth Council of Nigeria(NYCN)