Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr. Tunde Fowler was recently elected as the Chairman, African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) making him effectively, the No 1 Taxman in Africa. The first Nigerian to head ATAF, Fowler, who could be rightly called a Tripple Chairman, emerged the winner of the keenly contested election during the Forums 4th General Assembly meeting in Durban, South Africa. MARK ITSIBOR writes on his emergence.Since the global economic meltdown in 2008, the worst financial crisis that has hit the world since the Great Depression of the 1930s, tax administrators in Africa have pondered on the best route to refloat and stabilize African economies. Globalization has intertwined the economies of African countries with the worlds. Africa was hard hit. For the continent, it was a question of survival. After a rescue International Conference on Taxation, State Building and Capacity Development in Africa held in Pretoria, South Africa from 2829 August 2008, one of the first steps taken by Commissioners, Senior Tax Administrators and Policy Makers from 28 African countries was to work towards the establishment of an African Tax Administration Forum. Their aim was to create a platform to promote and facilitate mutual cooperation among African Tax Administrations and other key stakeholders to improve the efficiency of their tax legislation and administration.In 2009, ATAF was launched in Kampala, Uganda. Consequently, Nigeria, with the FIRS under the leadership of its former Executive Chairman, Ifueko Omoigui Okauru was a key player in the birth of the association. Mr. Oupa Magashula, then Chairman of the South African Revenue Authority (SARS), became its first Chairperson. The Commissioner General of Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Mr. Gershem T. Pasi, whose tenure ended recently, succeeded Mr. Magashula.The great ideas that worked for ATAF over the years notwithstanding, African economies struggled. It begged for help. Though blessed with abundant natural resources, Africa remained the poorest continent, harbouring the worlds poorest countries. What then could the problem of Africa be and whence cometh her help' But the African leaders are not resting on their oars. They have kept searching for solutions: organizing conferences and workshops and brainstorming on how to pull the continent out of the worst stage of recession through taxation.Last month, the FIRS Chairman who was hitherto a Council Member of ATAF was called upon to speak to Chief Executives of African Tax Authorities at the African Tax Administration Forum and International Monetary Fund (ATAF-IMF) seminar in Cape Town. Theme of the seminar was on Board Governance in African Revenue Authorities and Fowler shared his experience on how to make taxation work for Africa. Fowlers message was well received. He gave hope to African taxmen, painted a bright future of tax administration in Africa, stating that the continent holds much revenue generation prospects.Citing his experience in Nigeria, Fowler urged African leaders to grant autonomy to their Revenue Authorities as this will strengthen the tax institutions and prime them to generate more revenue for their countries.The visit of a delegation of the West Africa Tax Administrators Forum (WATAF) to Fowler recently, requesting him to allow the regional body to understudy the operational mechanism of FIRS under him, with a luggage of tremendous achievements despite the nations current economic crisis is a testimonial that the former Chairman of Lagos Internal Revenue Service is indeed an exemplary figure in the world of taxation. It was then not surprising when he simply told the delegation that for them to succeed in tax administration, they need to rethink, retool and come up with fresh strategies. It is clear by all terms that Africa is blessed with natural resources but it still remains the poorest continent on earth. African currencies are not strong, he cited, adding: Unfortunately, many African countries are highly depended on the trade on natural resources. We do not produce so much therefore, we find ourselves in a vicious circle. Governments cannot fund themselves through taxation so they cannot provide services and infrastructure that will support business.The FIRS Boss also spoke along the same lines at the recently held ATAF workshop on Transfer Pricing recently in Abuja saying: Our job basically is to collect all revenue due to government and make sure that we fund our governments so that they can provide conducive environment for businesses to thrive. The main focus we should keep at heart is that we work for the people of our various countries. So, we should, please take advantage of this opportunity so that we can make a positive impact. It is now time for African Tax Administration Forum to take its rightful place so that in any international conference, ATAF will make a positive impact.Last month, the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana (CITG) invited Mr. Fowler to speak to tax chiefs from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cote Divoire and other parts of the West African sub-region and beyond on the topic, Strategies For Revenue Mobilisation, in Contemporary Times: Challenges in Tax Legislation. The Ghanaian Institute gave him an award as an Honourary Fellow of CITG for his contributions to the tax institute.In the CITG presentation in Accra, Fowler underscored how continuous review of tax laws, creative communication and psychological approaches in engaging taxpayers as well as political will from political office holders could help tax administration in Africa.His simple connect between tax payment of as little as N5000 and the saving the life of a child phenomena from death was resonant as the FIRS executive Chairman spoke.He said: When you ask people to pay tax, they ask you why' But when you tell them that a tax of N5000 is enough to safe a child from dying from malaria, their attitude about tax begin to change gradually. As a tax administrator, you have to become a teacher to save the life of a child.The point is that as tax administrators, we must see the work that we do, not just as another job, but as nation building. Tax collection is nation building. It is serving your nation. It is serving God. When you convince a taxpayer that the tax he/she pays could save the life of a child who has malaria from death, you could begin to touch the taxpayers heart.We can still do a lot with the laws we have now. Before the law changes, tax administrators, need to wear the hat of a teacher, a psychologist, a friendly person and a firm upholder of the law.I urge all of us stakeholders to be conscious of our roles in ensuring that Africa catches up with the rest of the world in moving away from dependence on resource revenue towards dependence on taxation as the primary source of funding for our development.In Nigeria, Fowler, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) despite economic challenges, gave himself a high target of leading FIRS to generate N4.957 trillion in 2016; out of which N4.94 trillion will come from non-oil taxes while, only N800 billion is expected to come from Oil taxes.
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