
Special courts to prosecute sundry tax evasion cases and official
graft are to be set up by President- elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd),
it was gathered yesterday.
The courts, which will be in the Federal Capital Territory, would
deal strictly with corruption and tax evasion offences by companies,
individuals and government officials.
The courts are expected to lift the burden of excruciating and
delayed trials of offenders by regular courts so that the next
government can get fast results in its avowed war against corruption.
Chairman of the Anti- Money Laundering and Cyber Security Coalition
at the National Assembly, Senator Aloysius Etok, disclosed yesterday
that the coalition of senators and members of the House of
Representatives had already got the nod of the President-elect to set up
the courts.
Etok expressed optimism that the courts, when established, will take
off the burden of such cases from the regular courts and give them
accelerated hearing.
“We are confident that these courts will give accelerated hearing to
tax evasion cases and other cases bothering on corruption,” he said.
Senator Etok disclosed that the National Assembly is probing about 115 tax offenders.
Besides, the lawmaker also revealed that senators in the course of
investigations found that about 50 contracting firms working with the
Federal Ministry of Works operate with forged tax certificates.
Among the companies that may come under the hammer of the National
Assembly for tax evasion amounting to billions of Naira, according to
the committee and the ICPC, are Arab Contractors, Septa Energy, Tower
Aluminum, B. Stabilini and 112 others.
Etok also disclosed that the legislature was pushing for the
prosecution of companies with high rate of casualised workers and
fraudulent expatriate quota practices.
The lawmaker warned that with sustained evasion of taxes by
companies, agencies like the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC,
Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, would fold up, as according to him, the agencies
depend on taxes for survival.
The ICPC, in a document submitted to the Senate, stated that: “In
view of the Financial Intelligence analysis carried out by the
commission on the plethora of petitions received on issues bothering on
Tax Clearance Certificates scam, investigation led to the uncovering of
tax evasion, nonpayment of Capital Gains Taxes, nonremittance of
Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax, VAT.”
The commission regretted the serial breach of the procurement process with the collaboration of procurement officers.
“Procurement is an area that has long been recognised as being
particularly vulnerable to corruption because public procurement through
government contracting represents a substantial percentage of the
economy,” the document stated.
Meanwhile, former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, yesterday
visited General Buhari and assured him of the support and cooperation of
the international community.
He stated that the entire world was excited with the outcome of the March 28, 2015 presidential election in the country.
Blair explained that the global support was predicated on the belief
that the President-elect and his vice are determined to do their best
for the country.
According to him, Nigeria has earned the respect of the international
community because of the way the elections were conducted without
rancour.
In an opening speech before the duo retired into a closed-door
meeting, Blair said: “In the last few weeks, Nigeria has earned respect
throughout the whole world. There is enormous support for Nigeria now in
the international community. The support takes into consideration the
challenges that lie ahead and there is great confidence in the country.
“This is an election which took place in a way which the country
showed the majority of democracies the spirit and character of its
people and in the President- elect and Vice President- elect; it is a
leadership that I know is determined to do its best for the country.
“Obviously, the future and destiny of Nigeria lie in the hands of its
people. I just want to say to the President-elect that there is
tremendous support for you and the country at this moment and all of us,
in whatever way we can, stand ready to support you and help you.
“It is a moment of great challenges which bothers on the life of the people as well as their security and so on.
“If the same spirit and character that defined the election can be
taken through these coming years to address the challenges, I think we
can all have great confidence in the times ahead.”
Buhari who later briefed the press on the outcome of the parley said:
“We had a meeting and discussed how Britain and the United States were
helping us in making sure that we conducted ourselves according to our
constitution.
“The fact that it (election) has been so successful is a major relief
for us and to all people of conscience throughout the world.
“I thank the former British Prime Minister for his concern for
Nigeria and Nigerians, in what he is prepared to do by continuing to
help us as a country and as a people.”