Naija Today NG

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, says less than 20% of contractors paid by the federal government and its agencies state the income received in their tax returns.

Adeosun, who made this known in a statement released on Wednesday, said the lapse was discovered following the sampling exercise carried out by the ministry of finance.

She said the federal government has started reviewing the tax compliance records of contractors who have received payments from the federal government and its agencies in the last seven years.

“It was a matter of concern that those who earned money directly from government, which is both traceable and verifiable, still failed to pay the correct taxes thereon,” she said.

She also gave the assurance that the new multi-agency, data-driven approach will make it easier for tax authorities to cross check information provided in tax declarations to ensure that the correct taxes are paid.

According to the statement, the ministry of finance and office of the accountant general of the federation are now compiling records of all payments exceeding N100m made in the last seven years including details of the beneficiary bank accounts.

The statement also said that “all agencies have 30 days to return the information on payments made, and accounting officers are required to certify the accuracy of the data supplied. Deliberate omission or manipulation of data by accounting officers will attract sanction”.

According to the statement, a database project called Project Light House, which would build comprehensive profiles of tax payers using bank verification numbers, foreign exchange allocations, land registry records and information obtained from foreign governments, has commenced.

The data will be used to crosscheck information provided to tax authorities.

The minister said the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is committed to improving tax compliance as this is related to efforts being made to reduce dependence on oil.

She encouraged companies to take advantage of the concessions provided by the voluntary assets and income declaration scheme.



Source: thecable.ng

• Osinbajo Says Hatred, Anger Have Developed Over The Years
• Urges Foreign Airlines To Use Kaduna Airport

Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday met with stakeholders in Southern Kaduna over the attacks and killings, lamenting that the violence in the area cannot be put to an end in a hurry because people have developed hatred and anger over the years due to the crisis.

He was also in Kaduna to assess the level of progress at the Kaduna Airport ahead of the proposed diversion of flights from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

However, the meeting he directed Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai to convene had in attendance representatives of the religious bodies, traditional institutions, ethnic groups and the Fulani community.

Osinbajo, after listening to presentations from stakeholders, said it is unfortunate that bloodletting, which brings about bitterness and hate, has been allowed to be the order of the day, thereby making the crisis difficult to end.

The Acting President, who told the stakeholders that he had taken enough security briefing on the crisis, however, noted that
violence, enmity and hate cannot solve the problem, but the process of peace-building must commence to gradually resolve the crisis.

“The crisis in Southern Kaduna cannot be ended in a hurry, because there is hate and anger. But how many more lives do we want to lose before we stop this crisis?

“We must, therefore, strive to put an end to this. Otherwise, it will consume everybody. Violence, enmity and hate cannot solve the problem we are going through. We must, therefore, begin a process of peace building,” Osinbajo said.

He added: “Let me say first that there is no question at all that many have suffered, families have lost loved ones, a lot of bloodletting has taken place in Southern Kaduna in the past few weeks and I want to express my sincere condolence to all of those who have lost families and friends and who have been traumatised by the terrible things that have been going on in Southern Kaduna in the past few months.

“But I must say there is no question whatsoever that violence would never stop any of the problems we are experiencing today; there is no way we will resolve it that way.

“On this matter, I have read documents, quite a few of the reports, as a matter of fact, I have tried very hard to study the crisis in Southern Kaduna, including reports of past crises and since I got in today, I am also taking briefing from some of the senior officials of the armed forces and state security.

“I want to say that I don’t want us to be in a hurry. I am certainly not in a hurry, because I don’t believe that a crisis where there is so much bloodletting and hatred over the years can be resolved by a couple of meetings. No, I don’t believe that is possible.

“I have talked to the governor that what I would like to achieve is not a quick fix, but I want us to begin a process and I want to be a part of that process that will listen to each group separately and then get everyone together.

“We will take our time and as I said, to sift through whatever is required, so we can find a proper and lasting solution.”Osinbajo, however, pledged to convene meetings with representatives of CAN,
JNI, MACBAN and other stakeholders separately.

El-Rufai in his opening remarks vowed that his administration would fish out and prosecute those who have participated in the killings or instigated killings in Kaduna State in the last 37 years.

He said his administration has identified some of those behind the crises and would bring culprits to book; hence the deployment of security and commencement of peace building efforts as panacea to permanently ending the Southern Kaduna menace.

El-Rufai commended Osinbajo for his usual assistance to the state government in its efforts to establish military formations in the troubled zone and securing the state at large.

Meanwhile, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), in a statement, urged the security agencies to intensify efforts, so that
isolated killings of people on the farms would be a thing of the past.

It expressed optimism that the military would soon put an end to such guerilla and sniper attacks in the area, just as it commended other security agencies for combing bushes around attack-prone communities.

A statement issued by the National Public Relations Officer of SOKAPU, Mr. Yakubu Kuzamani, particularly expressed satisfaction with the security agencies for going into the bushes near villages like Goska, Ambam, Bakin Kogi axis in Jema’a Council, as well as Ashim in Kaura Council that were previously attacked by bandits.
The union reiterated its support for a permanent military presence in Southern Kaduna as a means of securing the area from terrorists who have turned the communities into killing fields.

Osinbajo, while fielding questions from journalists shortly after inspecting Kaduna Airport ahead of flights diversion from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, said the international community has been sensitised to endure the temporary arrangement.“We are persuading them that this is a good temporary arrangement,” he said.


Source: guardian.ng

After days of gaining strength against the dollar, naira finally lost it’s steam and closed at N465, losing N7 from its Thursday closing price of N458.

NAN reports that naira traded at N542 to the pound sterling and N480 to the euro.

At the bureau de change (BDC) window, the naira traded at N399 to a dollar at the CBN-controlled rate, while pound sterling and the euro closed at N610 and N520 respectively.

At the interbank market, naira traded at 305.25 to a dollar.

The CBN has injected over $500 million into the market to boost liquidity and ease the trouble experienced by Nigerians who need foreign exchange for various reasons.

Traders in the market expressed concern about the depreciation of the Naira in spite the gains earlier recorded.

Aminu Gwadabe, president, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), told NAN that there was need for a review of the distribution mechanism.

“Many banks are selling to only clients with current accounts and not to savings account holders and there is also increasing demand for forex from our neighbouring countries,” he said.

“The different applicable exchange rates and volumes with Travelex and banks need to be harmonised and with that of BDCs to reduce friction.”

On Thursday, Isaac Okorafor, acting director, corporate communications of the bank, said that the appreciation of the naira was due to intelligent work by the apex bank.

The naira, which traded for as high as N520 to a dollar, appreciated after CBN  adjusted its forex policy, providing forex for school feels, medical and travel expenses.


Source: thecable.ng

NEC on Friday opened its defence in the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate in the Sept. 28, 2016 governorship election in Edo, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, before the Justice Ahmed Badamasi three-member tribunal in Benin.

The PDP and its candidate are challenging the declaration by INEC of Godwin Obaseki of the APC as winner of the election.

The petitioners listed INEC, Obaseki and the APC as first, second and third respondents respectively.

The petitioners on Feb. 10 closed their case after calling 91 witnesses and tendering several documentary pieces of evidence before the tribunal.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, INEC counsel and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu, informed the tribunal that his client was ready to open its case although witnesses may not be called.

“ We have led copious evidence through cross examination of the petitioners’ witnesses.

“We propose to tender few documents when we need to confront them and enhance evidence already led and at the end of which, if need be, we will call witnesses,’’ he said.

Ikpeazu thereafter sought the tribunal’s permission to tender as evidence 10 copies of form EC8B, being ward collation result for wards in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of the state .

Counsel to the petitioners (Ize-Iyamu and PDP), Mr Kemi Pinheiro, counsel to Obaseki, Mr Ken Mozia and APC’s lawyer, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, all did not oppose the application for tender.

Pinheiro , however, observed that since the documents sought to be tendered as evidence by INEC were same as those before the tribunal as exhibits, “it will make proceeding smoother if we harmonise the documents with a schedule during trial,’’

He argued that the form EC8B document tendered was the same as exhibit PO4(154-163) tendered by the petitioners.

“ If not harmonised for different exhibit numbers, this will create precipice of confusion.

“I am saying that since the petitioners’ document and those sought to be tendered by INEC are from same source, I thought INEC should call oral witness to identify the exhibits before the tribunal,’’ he said.

Ipeazu, however, replied saying, “we have brought documents we have front loaded to support our case. They have done theirs; it is not for the petitioners to determine how we should organise our defence even if these documents are the same.’’

“ I am therefore asking for an adjournment to Monday while I concede to the suggestion that parties examine the documents sought to be tendered.

“I also intend to interact with electoral officers we may call as to who I wish to tender as witnesses,’’ he added.

Ruling, the tribunal chairman admitted the documents as exhibit IR(1-10) and ordered INEC to serve the petitioners and the other respondents with its schedule of the other documents to be tendered before the tribunal.

Badamasi also ruled that parties should use Saturday to examine INEC documents sought to be tendered and adjourned till Monday.



Source: guardian.ng

The Port Harcourt division of the appeal court has ruled that Ali Modu Sheriff is the legitimate chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A three-man panel of justices delivered judgment on the PDP leadership tussle – between Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi on Friday.

This judgment is one in a series of judgments on the impasse.

Mohammed Liman, justice of the federal high court, Rivers state, had sacked Sheriff as chairman of the PDP, while the Abuja division of the court, presided over by Okon Abang had declared Ahmed Makarfi’s caretaker committee as illegal.

Owing to the conflicting judgments by the lower courts, both parties went to the appeal court to seek redress.

Makarfi challenged the decision of Abang at the Abuja division of the appeal court, but the court could not take a decision because Sheriff had already filed a suit challenging his removal by a high court in Rivers.

The PDP leadership crisis started in May 2016 at its national convention in Port Harcourt.

Sheriff had called for a cancellation of the exercise when he got wind of the alleged plot of some party leaders to remove him.

But the convention went on as planned, during which a caretaker committee chaired by Makarfi was set up.

Legal battles and intrigues between the factions then ensued.



Source: thecable.ng

1. Early observations from the conduct of the Ondo State gubernatorial elections have shown several irregularities and poor preparations on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as men and officers of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.

2. Voters in several parts of the State have suffered several incidents of card reader failures. Despite the fact that INEC owns more than 150,000 units of card readers, in several locations there are no back up card readers. As such many voters are already being deprived of the right to cast a vote for the candidate of their choice.

For instance, the polling unit of Governor Olusegun Mimiko suffered card reader failure at his polling unit – Ward 7 Unit 20 Ondo West Local Government Area – that has prevented voters from casting their votes.

3. In Ward 2 of Akure South Local Government Area, Tunji Light-Ariyo a known chieftain of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) was recorded campaigning on behalf of and canvassing for votes for the APC candidate – Chief Rotimi Akeredolu – at Pus 28, 29, and 30 in spite of the prohibition of such actions by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The recording of this event also clearly show several police officers and men of other security agencies standing by and doing nothing while this was going on. In fact the video shows that the police men were providing security cover for him.

4. We view these incidents for what they are – violations of the law and evidence of the plots to rig the elections in favour of Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

5. We reiterate our earlier warnings that we will not stand by and watch anyone tamper with the democratic process and subvert the will of the Ondo people.

Signed:
Prince Dayo Adeyeye
National Publicity Secretary


Source:  authorityngr.com