Barbara Bako, Abuja.
The Office of the Tax Ombud is seeking a partnership with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to extend its services to all local government areas in Nigeria, as part of efforts to improve access to tax dispute resolution.
The Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office, Dr. John Nwabueze, disclosed this at the opening of a three-day management retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, where he highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen public awareness of the institution’s mandate.
Nwabueze said the proposed collaboration would enable more Nigerians to access the Office’s services, particularly taxpayers who may not have easy access to its existing channels.
He explained that the Office was established to provide an independent and impartial platform for resolving disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities through mediation and prompt intervention.
According to him, strengthening public confidence remains critical to building an efficient and sustainable tax administration system.
He urged staff to uphold discipline, diligence and professionalism, noting that the success of the institution would be determined by the trust it builds between taxpayers and revenue authorities.
“The ultimate measure of our success is not simply the number of cases we resolve, but the confidence we build, the trust we restore and the positive difference we make in the relationship between taxpayers and revenue authorities,” he said.
The retreat, themed “Leading with Purpose: Strengthening Leadership and Delivering Sustainable Excellence,” is designed to strengthen institutional leadership, improve management coordination and enhance the Office’s capacity to deliver on its statutory mandate.
In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Emem Almond Bob, commended the Federal Government’s tax reforms, saying they were aimed at addressing longstanding challenges in tax administration and improving revenue generation.
The governor said his administration was implementing initiatives to promote enterprise, improve the business environment and strengthen public financial management.
He identified the Treasury Single Account and a consolidated tax collection system as some of the measures being introduced to improve revenue administration in the state.
Eno also urged the Office of the Tax Ombud to establish a presence in Akwa Ibom, pledging his administration’s support to ensure residents could access its services.
Similarly, Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Okon Okon, described the Tax Ombud as an important institution for promoting fairness and accountability in the country’s tax system.
He noted that the Office’s free services would provide relief to taxpayers seeking an impartial platform to resolve tax-related complaints.
Okon added that its intervention would encourage constructive engagement between taxpayers and revenue authorities, thereby strengthening transparency and trust in the administration of taxes.
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