A renowned tax and customs expert, Okey Ibeke, has cautioned that the proposed tax reform bills before the National Assembly have the potential to undermine the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) specialised operations, which remained crucial for the country’s revenue drive.
He stressed that the NCS’ duties which are highly technical and extend far beyond revenue collection could be eroded unless relevant concerns relating to the bills are addressed.
Ibeke’s remarks came against the backdrop of a recent public hearing on tax reform bills organised by the House of Representatives Special Committee on Tax Reform Bills.
He warned that passing the bills without necessary adjustments could render the NCS redundant, a situation that could negatively impact revenue collection for development projects.
He said although the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, had said the tax reform aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to an efficient tax system, certain aspects of the bills could hamper the service’s ability to perform its core functions.