The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), has requested that the Finance Minister reviews the recent provisions to Tax Appeal Tribunal rule compelling those who have tax disputes to pay 50 percent of the amount in dispute before their appeal can be heard.
The Chief Executive Officer, Dr Muda Yusuf, made the appeal at the maiden press conference on “The Economy and Business Environment in 2021; An Agenda For 2022,” where he submitted that the rule was contrary to the principle of natural justice and constitutes an obstruction to fair hearing.
Making a case for a review, Yusuf observed that besides, the rule was in conflict with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Establishment Act that setup the tribunal, request that the rule be expunged from the proceedings of the tax appeal tribunals in the interest of fair hearing.
Commending the government for proposing the removal of the 0.25 per cent of turnover levy imposed on companies for NASENI (National Science and Engineering Institute) levy, the CEO noted that new taxes were being frequently added to the myriad of taxes on the already over-burdened private sector.
“These include the Education Tax, Information Technology tax, Police Fund levy and the Tertiary Healthcare Fund levy recently passed by NASS among others.”
