News

ASUU Urges FG To Stop Tax Waivers, as Reps Summon First Bank, Others over Non Remittances of Education Tax

Published

9 months ago

May 28, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

This President Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Victor Osodeke has called on the federal government to immediately stop tax waivers meant to fund tertiary institutions in the country.

Prof. Osodeke who said this during a public hearing on Monitoring of Collection, utilization and other associated services relating to Education Tax from 2011 – 2022, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), on Tuesday, blamed the poor funding of tertiary institutions and incessant industrial actions to waivers granted to banks and other private institutions.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Miriam Odinaka Onuoha also directed First Bank of Nigeria and other Banks to appear before it alongside its Tax Consultant to reconcile the Education Tax Computation not remitted to TETFund by the banks between 2011 and 2022.

Rep. Onuoha who gave the directive when some commercial banks appeared before the committee to defend their non-remittance of Education Taxes over the years, said there were disparities between the figures that was in the Bank’s Financial Statements as Provisions for that purpose and what the Bank actually remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Upon their admittances of such discrepancies, without any substantial explanation, the Committee therefore summoned the Banks to come along with details of their Tax computations, External Auditors and Tax Consultant along with proofs of remittances by 20th June, 2024.

‘The Banks disregarded their own Financial Statement liabilities on Education Tax and made under remittances’.

This followed a motion by Rep. Oluwole Oke who prayed that the banks appeared before the committee with the tax consultants with details of that tax computation on a yearly basis.

The Chairman said out of the 15 banks invited, about seven were supposed to appear before the committee on Tuesday, while only three of them showed up with three other writing to seek a new date to appear.

Full list of Banks summoned to appear on the 20th June with the aforementioned documents and persons include, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, United Bank for Africa ( UBA), Sterling Bank, Keystone Bank, FBN Quest Merchant Bank, First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, Stanbic Bank , Wema Bank, Eco Bank, Fidelity Bank, Jaiz Bank and Unity Bank.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bappa Aliyu Misau had observed that First Bank under remitted its education tax deductions to TETFund, an action which he said was punishable under the law.

Misau said: “unfortunately, you do not have the year-by-year breakdown but the available records you submitted in 2011 was N603,801. Then, in 2012, you are owing N301,263,135, in 2013, you have a credit balance of N102,713,615.

“Again, in 2014, you had a credit of N2.933, 659, then if you go to 2015, you have N25 million as outstanding, in 2017, N169, 852,600 outstanding, in 2018 you have N98 million outstanding, in 2012, you paid N7.877,451 then in 2020 N148 million credit, in 2021, N269,618,626.6 debit.

“Therefore, in 2022, you had N3.748,984, 654.64. Then you add it up, you sum the credit and the debit, you ended up with N3.749,353,260 outstanding. You know there is penalty for Non-Remittance”.

An Executive Director with First Bank, Bashir Yusuf who represented the bank at the meeting told the lawmakers that between 2011 and 2022, the Bank posted a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N795,123 billion.

When asked to take the figure year by year, the FBN Executive Director said, it was a summary of the presentation, he said, “unfortunately Madam Chair what I have is the summary of the presentation.

“I crave the indulgence of the committee to take what we shared with the Committee. I prepared the summary for the presentation, so that if there are issues, we can take those issues, especially if there are matters that we need to settle outside the Committee room, our consultants.

“So, I am very sorry, I don’t have the breakdown by year, but I have the summary over the period. We had the net accessible profits of N28 billion, which is the difference between the allowable and the disallowable expenses on the PBT we posted over the period.

“In terms of tax liability over the period, we have a tax liability of N5.498 billion. Then, over the periods of the audit by the Committee, that is 2011 to 2022, we had additional assessments. It was on the basis of those assessments conducted between 2014 and 2021 that we had an additional liability of N852 million.

“So, in terms of total TETFUND Tertiary Education Tax Fund liability and payment, we made a payment of N5.493 billion.

“And in terms of outstanding liability over the period, we have Nil liability over the period and other subsequent items associated with outstanding liability are also ready”.

He further stated that there were issues that cannot be resolved at the committee hearing, adding that “what you have are items that are classified as taxable.

“We have some differences based on the provision of exemption order that was issued by the President in 2011. That’s why I said some of these issues we will not be able to resolve at this sitting.

“When the Committee asked the Bank to provide the Exemption Order on Education Tax as it relates to the matter under review, he could not provide any , Furthermore , the Bank already made provisions in their Financial Statements for same Education Taxes without remittances in those respective years”.

Representatives of ASUU criticizrd the Banks for providing different figures to the Committee after making submissions earlier in January 2024 under Oath.

The Union further requested the FIRS to stand-up to their duties on the efficient and honest tax collection and stop the games playing with the Banks.

The Union further commended the Committee for taking up the challenge to expose the fraud and corruption while enforcing compliance in our tax systems by some Corporate gurus despite their huge profits, yet unwilling to pay necessary taxes in support of Education to help the sector grow and the development of the Country human capital.

News

Canada deports more people, particularly those rejected for refugee status

Published

53 minutes ago

February 27, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Canada deported more people last year to hit its highest annual level of removals in about a decade, overwhelmingly deporting people whose refugee claims were rejected, data obtained by Reuters showed.

By late November, Canada’s removal numbers had reached their highest point since at least 2015, when the governing Liberals led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to power

The government has also budgeted more money for deportations this year.

Trudeau’s government, now in its final days, has sought to show Canadians it is getting tough on immigration amid a rising backlog of refugee claims and a backlash against immigrants over concerns that immigration is exacerbating a housing shortage.

Canada’s border agency said the spike in deportations is tied to a “significant increase” in the number of people applying for asylum since 2020, prompting it “to enforce removal orders in a more efficient and timely manner.”

Reuters requested border agency data on deportations, excluding people who left of their own accord and those sent back to the United States as part of a bilateral agreement under which would-be asylum-seekers are turned back.

The remaining total shows Canada deported 7,300 people between January 1 and November 19, 2024, an 8.4% increase over all of 2023 and a 95% increase over 2022.

The border agency did not provide equivalent figures for all of 2024. This week, it posted data online from 2019 to 2024 that do not break down deportations excluding returns to the US under that bilateral agreement. This data also showed an increase in the number of deportations.

About 79% of the 7,300 people deported in the first 11 months of last year were deported because their claim for refugee status had been rejected. That is up from about 75% in 2023 and 66% in 2022.

About 11% of the people deported last year through November 19 were removed for non-compliance with the conditions of their stay in Canada unrelated to a refugee claim, for example, for overstaying a visa. About 7% were deported because they had committed a crime either in Canada or elsewhere.

A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister David McGuinty did not immediately respond to questions about the deportations.

A spokesperson for the border agency said in an email that removal numbers fluctuate.

“The number of removals of those who received a negative asylum determination have increased each year since emerging from the pandemic,” wrote the spokesperson, Luke Reimer.

“These efforts are essential in maintaining the integrity of Canada’s asylum system.”

Canada has been dealing with record numbers of refugee claims, although the monthly totals dropped to 11,838 in January from 19,821 in July. There were 278,457 claims pending as of last month – the highest pending total in decades.

A campaign flag for US President Donald Trump flutters from a private residence between the Canada and US border in Mooers Forks, New York, US, Feb 4, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

MORE MONEY FOR DEPORTATIONS

One concern with these removals, especially those targeting failed refugee claimants, is that people can be deported while still appealing decisions about the risk they face if returned to their home countries, said Aisling Bondy, president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.

“They could be removed even if there is significant error in the risk determination,” she said, worrying people are being deported to places they will face persecution.

Reimer said in an email that the agency “only actions a removal order once all legal avenues of recourse that can stay a removal have been exhausted.”

The rise in refugee claimant deportations speaks to the government’s priorities, including a tough stance on migration, said University of Toronto law professor and Human Rights Chair Audrey Macklin.

“You can decide that you want to make a show of how many people you are deporting to show that you are effective at policing the border,” Macklin said. “Then you go with people who are easier to find and remove, and those are going to be, often, refugee claimants.”

he prospect of deportation could also deter would-be refugee claimants, she said.

Canada is on track to deport even more people in the coming years: Late last year, the government pledged C$30.5 million ($21.3 million) over three years to increase deportations.

Canada Border Services Agency spent C$65.8 million on removals in 2023-24, up from C$56 million the year before.

At the same time, Canada has pledged C$1.3 billion toward border security to appease US President Donald Trump as he threatens sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports.

The ranks of those eligible for deportation could grow.

Canada is slashing temporary and permanent immigrant numbers and part of its plan relies on more than 1.2 million temporary residents, including workers and students, leaving the country next year, and another 1.1 million leaving the following year, according to government figures.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has said Canada will deport people who do not leave on their own.

“It is people’s choice not to leave, and if they don’t, they face the consequences – including, after due process, deportation,” he told Reuters last year.

News

UNIVERSITY OF BUCKINGHAM (UOB) INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA OF EDUCATION (IDE)

Published

58 minutes ago

February 27, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in partnership with The University of Buckingham will be sponsoring 150 classroom teachers in Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency for the University of Buckingham (UoB) International Diploma of Education (iDE) January cohort of the 2025-2026 session.

Interested primary and secondary school teachers residing in Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency are expected to fill out the form below for the constituency selection process.

Form: https://forms.gle/rbjWgMk8oBRwqxgf7

For enquiries: Call or WhatsApp Marvin Chinda on:- +2348068581032

The minimum academic requirement is an O’level / WASSCE with 5 credits (Inclusive of Mathematics and English) and currently a classroom teacher.

Kenneth George-Oparati
(Administrator),
Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency Office
Port Harcourt, Rivers State

News

NAHCON endorses four Islamic banks for Hajj savings scheme

Published

1 hour ago

February 27, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has endorsed four banks to support and implement the Hajj Savings Scheme.

An official in the Information and Publications Division of NAHCON, Abdulbasit Abba, announced the development in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Abba stated, “A significant milestone for the Hajj Savings Scheme, three new Islamic banks—Taj Bank, Alternative Bank, and Lotus Bank—have officially joined the initiative to support Nigerian pilgrims.

“These banks will operate alongside Ja’iz Bank, bringing the total number of participating financial institutions to four

The official signing and acknowledgment of the appointment letters took place at Hajj House in Abuja, where representatives from the three new banks received their official letters from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

“The Commissioner for Policy, Personnel, Management, and Finance, Prince Abdullazak Aliu, presented the letters on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Usman.

“This expansion marks a new era for the Hajj Savings Scheme, ensuring a more robust financial structure to facilitate pilgrimage arrangements for Nigerian Muslims.”