The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) says it has concluded plans to launch a system-wide investigation into the remittance of taxes by Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja and Sokoto State.
The PCC, however expressed concern over the lack of transparency and accountability in the remittance of taxes by MDAs, which has led to the loss of Billions of Naira in Government revenue.
The Commission organized Public Hearings in Abuja and Sokoto state and informed the stakeholders that PCC will be working with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct the investigation.
However, the PCC has noted that there is a lack of clear guidelines on the remittance of taxes by MDAs, which has led to widespread abuse and mismanagement of public funds.
Accordingly, PCC hopes that the investigation will lead to the implementation of stronger policies and procedures for tax remittance by MDAs, and ultimately lead to increased government revenue and improved transparency and accountability in the public sector.
The PCC has outlined the following key objectives for the investigation:
- To determine the extent of non-remittance of taxes by MDAs in Abuja and Sokoto State.
- To identify the reasons for the non-remittance of taxes by MDAs.
- To identify the gaps and weaknesses in the current system for tax remittance by MDAs.
- To make recommendations for strengthening the system for tax remittance by MDAs.
In order to achieve these objectives, the PCC will conduct interviews with key stakeholders, including government officials, representatives from the MDAs, and tax experts.
The PCC will also review relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing tax remittance by MDAs, and identify any areas where the current system is not effective.
Finally, the PCC will develop a set of recommendations for strengthening the system for tax remittance by MDAs.
Besides, it is hoped that the findings of the investigation will be widely publicized, in order to raise public awareness about the issue of tax remittance by MDAs.
The PCC believes that increased public awareness will lead to greater pressure on government officials to ensure that MDAs remit taxes in a timely and transparent manner.