HOW CAN THE MEDIA/INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS DO MORE?
The media could do more in tax reporting and assist the nation in attaining what activists, historians and journalists call Nigeria’s Manifest Destiny.
1. In-depth analysis of news and information on tax, economy and finance. Reporters are enjoined to acquaint themselves more with the business of taxation. Like the popular CNN line: You are what you know, and in education others, you cannot give what you don‘t have. Investigative journalists are enjoined to deepen their understanding and reporting of taxation: (Tax laws, tax policy, tax law amendment process, tax administration, tax jurisdictions, investigation, tax practice, transfer pricing and mispricing, Double Taxation Agreements, Tax treaties). In short, tax reporters must know as much as tax practitioners.
2. Balanced stories: We call for balanced, fair and objective reporting of tax issues. Our doors are always opened.
3. Tax Reporters: It is open to debate, if we have tax reporters in Nigeria today—the same way you will refer to Oil and Gas/Judicial/Capital/Money market, sport reporters. For a sector that contributes, annually, an average of N4 trillion to the Federation Account in the last five years, the emergence of a distinct crop of journalists-devoted solely to tax reporting is long overdue. We look forward to the day when a Nigerian tax reporter will enjoy the status of Dr. Sanjay Gupta—who reports health for CNN. FIRS will be willing and ready to support the cause of such group whenever it is initiated.
4. Scrutiny of Corporate Social Responsibility, (CSR) claims of corporates
5. Data Journalism: With what was first called Computer Assisted Reporting, CAR, in the late 1970s, by Professor Philip Meyer of the University of North Carolina in the USA, we now have online collaboration amongst and between consortia of investigative journalists. Today, journalists could harness tons of data to establish a pattern, combust untruths, match data across industries, companies and borders.
It might yet be morning on creation day. For all the laudable feats that investigative journalists have attained in Nigeria, we just might be on the verge of a new age of tax reporting with investigative reporters and tax authorities building partnerships that could ensure corporate and individuals do their duty to their nation and humanity by paying their taxes.
6. You stand on the shoulders of giants. Today, it is a badge of honour to stand up and be counted as an investigative journalist. You stand on the shoulders of many, who laid down their lives so you may practice your profession: people like Dele Giwa, Bagauda Kaltho, Tayo Awotunsin, Krees Imodibie and others who died in the course of duty: whose stories/books have not been told or written in all their ramifications. I encourage you all to take their achievements to the next level.
7. Journalists must be good taxpayers and I challenge corporates and individuals to pay their taxes. I believe everyone in this hall pays his or her taxes or either work for or own companies that pay their taxes.
Be a patriot. Pay your taxes. Like we say in FIRS, ‘“It pays to pay your tax”.
Being a paper presentation by Tunde Fowler, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service at the 8th Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series on Wednesday 13th July 2016 at NECA building, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos
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