BY RITA OYIBOKA
The Director-General of the Delta State Revenue Monitoring, Tracking and Audit in Delta State, Barr Mike Edegware, has issued a strong warning to individuals parading themselves as tax agents, stressing that anyone caught will face the full force of the law.
Edegware gave the warning during an exclusive interview with The Pointer at his office in Asaba, where he revealed ongoing efforts by the state government and the state Internal Revenue Service (DSIRS) to sanitise the tax system and protect residents from illegal taxation.
According to him, “What the state government and we, as the Revenue Monitoring body, are working on, and what the Board of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service is also addressing, is sanitising the tax environment so that people are not constantly harassed by multiple agents.”
He disclosed that a bill is already in progress to harmonise all taxes into a single demand, as a way to streamline the process.
However, he lamented the growing activities of impostors infiltrating markets and motor parks under the guise of tax collection.
“There are intruders in the system, people who just walk into markets or motor parks, claiming to be tax agents. When discovered, we involve security agencies, and such people are prosecuted. But unless there is information, it will be very difficult to track down those kinds of people,” he said.
Edegware maintained that the law does not pardon such fraudulent activities, and those involved will face strict legal consequences.
“We are all working to safeguard government investment in public welfare. They should desist. There’s no such thing as forgiveness under the law. If you are caught, you face the consequences,” he warned.
To the general public, the DG reminded citizens that taxation is a civic obligation and must not be neglected on the basis of mistrust in government.
He said, “The fact that public officials may misuse funds is why this office exists, to track public funds. Taxation is a legal duty, not a personal decision. Saying ‘they will eat the money, so I won’t pay’ is not just an excuse; it is illegal.
“There are laws to deal with anyone who misappropriates public funds. If everyone behaves based on personal beliefs, we’ll have anarchy. Laws are created to regulate conduct, and there are sanctions for breaches.”
Edegware urged Deltans to report suspicious tax activities and support the state’s drive for a cleaner, more transparent tax regime.
