ABSTRACT
This
research work examined the management and utilization of tax revenue in Ebonyi
State Board of Internal Revenue. The specific objectives were to find out if
the abandoned government projects in Ebonyi State are a result of the reluctance
of the citizens to pay their taxes ascertain of there is need for effective tax
payment and to make recommendations on the proper management of tax revenue in
the State. A descriptive analytical survey was adopted on a sampled size of 36
with the use of questionnaire instrument in data collection. Data collected
were analyzed with frequency table and percentage while the hypothesis
formulated in the study were tested with Chi-Square measure (x2),
the result of the analysis showed that the abandonment of government projects
in Ebonyi is not because of the reluctance of the citizens to pay their taxes
while honest personnel, effective management team and the elimination of
embezzlement should be instituted for proper management of tax revenue
generated in the state. The researcher concluded that tax payment in Ebonyi
state has never hindered any government projects and revenue from tax were not
properly utilized for economic need for citizens to pay their taxes in the
state. The researcher thereby recommends that honest personnel, effective
management team and elimination of embezzlement should be instituted on the tax
administration system in the state while tax revenue should be utilized in the
infrastructural provision for the benefit of the citizens in the state.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
For
the peaceful existence of human being resources are utilized. In every society,
there has been one form of levy or the other imposed on the people from time to
time to generate enough resources to improve their well-being. However, it is
of course a compulsory levy (tax) on income since the decision to pay tax is
not that of the tax payer. No rational human being would subject his earnings
to tax but people pay tax because the law so stipulates. Also, it is the same
fact that makes people to look for ways and means of bringing down their
taxable income and consequently their taxes from time to time.
The
problem of capital formation in the underdeveloped economies as it relates to
public finance breaks down into three main parts. The first concern is the
financing of social overhead investment, which must be undertaken directly by
the government. The second deals with an intermediate zone in the actual
investment projects are on private hands, but the funds are made available
through government. The third, deals with the necessary incentives to private
investment both domestic and foreign as they influenced by taxation and other
fiscal. In the above three categories, government effect is directed towards
maximizing savings, mobilizing them for productive investment and directing
them so as to serve the purpose off a balance development program.
Taxation
is the charge against a citizen, person or property or activity for the support
of government. Whenever tax matters are in discourse, it pre-supposes the
existence of government, which is the highest authority that controls the
actions of the rest of people by imposing taxes on them. Therefore, tax is a
universal liability and one cannot avoid payment of tax just by avoiding the
use of any amenity built with tax money.
It is essential for one to understand that some
amenities have exclusionary factors. On this note one cannot say, for instance,
that he does not want to benefit from national defense and security. Hence, tax
is levied universally to provide facilities like health services, electricity
and water supply. The generally determinant of the amount payable by each will
not be their personal income. Lawal, (1982) said it should be realized that most
countries today, the government has become the greatest spender of money.
Taxation has not only influenced the economy of the country, it has also become
one important instrument of economic policy. This is an increase in government
spending (tax money) rightly involves a corresponding decrease in individual
spending.
The
Ebonyi State Board of Internal Revenue is the department charged with the
responsibility of tax collections. This board is an annex of the State Ministry
of Finance and Economic Development and Utilization of Tax Revenue. The Board
of Internal Revenue has power to assess and
subsequent collect taxes from persons, institutions and organizations in
Ebonyi State, which is with the exception of limited companies, members of the
armed forces, the police force etc. which are in the federal government
exclusive lit.
In
less developing economy lie Nigeria, the government is finding it difficult to
march the necessary resources in the right point in time. In under-developed
economies, tax resources account for about 10 to 15 percent of national income
while it goes up 30 to 40 percent in advanced countries. This showed that the
less developed country is low rate of tax payments to national income. Hence,
the following conditions must exist to ensure efficiency in income taxes:
1.
Existence of
money economy
2.
High standard of
literacy among taxpayers
3.
Proper
accounting record of tax proceeds
4.
Voluntary
compliance by taxpayers
5.
Political
stability
6.
Honest
administration of tax revenue
The above mentioned conditions are often lacking in
many cases. In essence, if a tax system is seen to be effective, it
pre-supposes that an efficient and self-accounting structure has been put in
place to ensure maximum benefits. However, in as much as the government may
levy some taxes to check excess spending by individuals, such funds may later
be disbursed to as loans for private capital formation in a turn-around
objective of the government to promote investment in some preferred sections,
such as agriculture, commerce and industry. In general, government expenditure
is largely a function of the tax. The common economic theory known as ceteris
paribus (all things being constant) do not have much relevance in taxation
because any slight change in tax pattern brings about great changes in the
pattern nations’ economic life. Other things and never be constant when taxes
are increase, individual appending would reduce drastically. Prices of goods
and services are likely gong to rise. There would likely be more government
spending, otherwise a surplus would result. Some classical economists believed
that there is no budget or deficit that results from tax increase because an
increase in form of tax. For instance in 1995, federal government budget in
Nigeria reduced to personal income tax rate to between 10% to 30% from the
former rate of between 10% to 35% but this has been composted for the
introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT). This as the government closely watches
the economy and formulates tax policies that will be best if distributed
incomes as well as raising capital for further investment, also do investors
and mangers of industries who find the rate too high, look safer to invest
their money, thereby paying little or no tax.
In this connection, unless there is attitudinal change
among the Nigerian population in regard to taxation. Tax may not attain its
pride of place in the revenues of the government even in the next decade. To
achieve this change, it is critical that government programmes should be no
course to reassure the people.
Furthermore,
tax policies should be formulated in a way to encourage private initiative in
commerce and industry. The public should perform their public duty by taking
taxes payment serious. In principles, all adults from the age of 18 years are liable
to tax, but in practice, it is only those that have not known sources of income
that the law expects to pay. However, every adult is a political tax payer and
is consequently to pay tax as a way of encouraging people to work for a living.
But the absence of reliable statistics on the people is having debilitating
effect on government tax programme. Every year, budgets are drawn within having
a reliable estimate of expected tax revenue. Nevertheless, tax is still
expected to improve the economic life of the nation. Again in an economy such
as where prosperity to consume is far greater than the propensity to save,
taxation is expected to play a prominent role in the area of private capital
formation for technological development.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A
good number of government projects over the years have been abandoned because
of reasons, which are not clear to the citizens of Ebonyi State. Some of the
projects include road, water, market and electricity. The government claims
that the citizens of Ebonyi State are relevant to pay their tax. In Ebonyi
State, civil servants are about the only group who pay their taxes as at when
due. The only state of the economy of the nation Nigeria also called for the
need of taxation effectively. In view of the above elected reasons, the
researcher study aimed at determining the various reasons why the government
does not collect enough revenue which will assist her in providing these
essential services to the people of Ebonyi.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The major objective of this study is to assess the
management of utilization of tax revenue in Ebonyi State Board of Internal
Revenue, but the specific objectives were to:
1.
Find out if the
abandoned government projects in Ebony State as a result of the reluctant of
the citizens of Ebonyi State to pay their tax.
2.
Ascertain the
need for effective tax payment in Ebonyi State.
3.
Make
recommendations on the proper management of tax revenue in Ebonyi State.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
To what extent
does the abandoned government project in Ebonyi State as a result of the
reluctant of the citizens to pay their tax?
2.
What need is it
for effective tax payment in Ebonyi State?
3.
What
recommendation is appropriate for proper management of tax revenue in Ebonyi
State?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis was formulated for the
study:
H0,1 The abandoned government projects in Ebonyi
State is not as a result of citizens reluctance to pay their taxes.
H0,2 There is no need for citizens of Ebonyi State
to pay their taxes.
H0,3 There are no appropriate recommendation
suitable for proper management of tax revenue in Ebonyi State.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is hoped that the study will be of immense
assistance to:
The government, to see the need to carry the people
along in planning the programme and projects to be executed with the tax money.
It is expected that collectable revenue from
taxation will rise, if the government will fully implement the recommendations
of the body.
Perhaps with the enhancement of government, it is
that the study will be valuable to the tax management, as it will enable them
to be aware of the several techniques available with which they can use to
utilize, the tax revenue in their organization.
Is the government, the financiers, will expose obstacles
and limitation of the techniques of management and utilization of the tax
revenue being apply by one organization which they utilize.
It is also believed that, if effective techniques
are in management and utilization of tax revenue, every naira spent by the
government will yield the naira worth of social benefits. Thus the government
objective for tax revenue for all the years might be a reality.
For citizens, who pays the tax the study will enable
them to believe the justification of the taxes, which they paid as they will
enjoy optimum social benefits for every naira levy.
Finally, this research report will enable students
of management especially accountancy students to have an in depth knowledge of
the techniques of utilization, tax revenue available to non-profit making
organization especially those funded and controlled by the government. For the
student of accountancy, the research will help them to understand the audit of
government organization when the government relinquishes such audit over to
certified public accountants.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study was limited to Ebonyi State
Board of Internal Revenue headquarters situated at the Secretariat, Abakiliki.
Furthermore, the senior and junior staffs of the board, tax collectors and
selected tax payers were interviewed.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The research earlier had the intention of covering
all the government owned revenue expenditure in the Eastern state of Nigeria,
however time and financial constraints have hindered this intention. The study
is limited to board of internal revenue Abakaliki.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Payee: Pay as you earn income tax on wages and salaries
deducted periodically as income tax. It is a good example of convenience.
Import Duties: These are duties that are levied on imported items.
Export Duties: These are goods that are levied on exports.
Exercise Duties: These are known as those duties imposed on goods
and services produced and consumed locally.
Value Added Tax: This is an indirect tax. It is a consumption tax.
The different between sales and profit is known as VAT. VAT comprises of output
VAT which are VAT chargeable to goods and services while input VAT are those VA
that are chargeable to goods and services that are purchased but on VAT able
persons.
Vat able
Persons: This is an importer;
it can be an individual or company.
Input VAT: Purchasing.
Output VAT: Selling, convenience – Taxes should be collected at
a time convenient to tax payers.
Incommensurate: This means not of size, importance of quality. That
is to say those, the amenities provided by the government are of sizes but
importance and of quality. The government should as much as they make it
commensurate.
Property Tax: This is known as tax levied on certain types of property
such as land and building.
Tax Incidence: This is the burden of tax responsibility that falls
in the individual, instate or organization paying the tax.
Tax Evasion: This is a criminal act because offender makes false
claims and declarations to the tax authority so as to pay tax.
Tax Avoidance: It is known as the legal organization in order to
minimize their tax liability.
Tax Payer: The payer is the individual, institution or
organization that has the duty to pay tax.
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