The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has cautioned high-income individuals who provide false information on their income to refrain from such attitude.

Bello issue the warning at a one-day tax seminar with the theme,” Reviving the Tax Culture of Filing Tax Returns, organised by the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister was represented, Alhaji Lukman Agboola, the Mandate Secretary of FCT Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and Public-Private Partnership.

He said it was worrisome that only 10 per cent of registered residents of the FCT are contributing to the maintenance and development of the territory by paying their taxes.

” As you are all aware, one of the canons of taxation is fairness, such that payment of tax is proportional to the income of the person.

” Therefore, tax should be equitable in a way that amount of tax payable should be proportionate to income.

” It is however worrisome that, according to reports reaching me, only 10 per cent of registered residents of the FCT are contributing to the maintenance and development of the Territory by paying their taxes.

” This needs to change, both for fairness and entrenchment of the rule of law. We must begin to treat tax evasion as the crime that it is, ” he said.

Bello appealed to all residents of the FCT to take filing of returns as an obligatory and necessary step towards Supporting the socio-infrastructural development of FCT.

” We must understand that taxation is not just a means of providing funds for services and infrastructure, it is also a means for the high earners to contribute for the upliftment

of the quality of life of the low earners.”

The minister commended the FCT-IRS for its foresight

in holding the seminar aimed at enlightening taxpayers of their very important civic responsibility of filing tax returns.

” It is my hope that this seminar will chart a way for the FCT Internal Revenue Service to improve compliance to tax payment and the proper declaration of all income by all residents.”

In his keynote address, the Managing Director, JK Consulting, Dr James Naiveju, urged legislature, the judicial, public servants and professional to ensure timely and complete filing of their tax returns.

Naiveju said if all FCT residents agree to file their tax returns effectively and it would enhance the economy and reduce the rate of poverty.

He, however, urged the FCT-IRS to simplify the process of tax returns by making it electronically that could be accessible by with smart phones and other devices.

” A proud residents of the Federal Capital Territory has a moral and civil responsibility to file their tax returns with utmost patriotism to the fatherland.

” There must also be patriotism, determination, political will on the part of the authority to ensure that citizens file their tax returns as at when due.”

The seminar had in attendance tax experts, Chairmen of various States Internal Revenue Services, Royal father’s and tax payers.