EKIRS Advocates Integration Of Taxation Into Nigerian Education Curriculum

The Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, EKIRS, has called for the integration of taxation into Nigerian education system in order to nurture a generation that sees voluntary compliance to tax payment as a civic responsibility.

The Executive Chairman of EKIRS, Mr. Olaniran Olatona, made the call on Tuesday while playing host to the Tax Club, FUOYE, at the Revenue House, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital.

Addressing tax-related issues from the students, Mr. Olatona lamented the resistance to tax compliance by the present generation, while also praising those in their 70s and 80s for voluntarily paying their taxes.

To avoid future crop of Nigerians that will not take interest in paying taxes, he said; “if the government of Nigeria lost it on our own generation, if we don’t want problem in the future, the best thing is to begin to integrate it (taxation) into our curriculum and that is why taxation is now studied in some schools as a whole course.”

The Executive Chairman added that the Service is already considering the possibility of taking the message of taxation to secondary and primary schools as well as organising competitions among students so as to spot those who can be mentored in the field. According to him, if this is done, children will be able to caution their parents and guardians against tax resistance and other ills they often errorneously associate with taxation.

Stressing that tax payment is a civic responsibility, Mr. Olatona reiterated that citizens will be able to demand better deals from the government if they fulfil their obligations by paying their taxes.

Reacting, President of the Tax Club, FUOYE, Excellent Daniel, appreciated the Executive Chairman for giving them the nitty-gritty of the taxation and the new tax reforms as they apply to their academic pursuit.

The visit culminated in the Executive Chairman receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from the Tax Club, FUOYE, on behalf of EKIRS for its magnanimous support and contribution offered for “the Tax Goes to School 1.0”.