The Chief Executive Officer of the Tax Ombudsman of Nigeria, Dr. John Nwabueze, has been reminded that his appointment is a call to national service and should be handled with every sense of humility and responsibility.
The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, made the remark when Dr. Nwabueze, a son of Asaba, visited to pay him homage in his palace.
He said the Tax Ombudsman should discharge his duties to the best of his ability, bearing in mind that he has been entrusted with the banner of a people; the banner of the people of Asaba, stressing that as the pioneer CEO of the office, he should strive to put down a structure that would make it a formidable institution, so that those who would come after him would find it easy to navigate.
“The mandate is clear. Anything Ombudsman is a very independent and impartial entity. You have to hold your own and do your work. Issues that are likely to come before you; multiple taxation, over taxation, among so many others. How you are able to handle them will mean a lot to the people of this country, and that is the only way you can build public trust in your operations.
“We have longed for a tax reform in the present era. That’s one thing that we have always canvassed, that apart from public servants and civil servants, Nigerians don’t pay tax. That is the truth of the matter. So, for us, it is a new dawn, people will now start paying taxes. That’s why in the civilised climes people talk about taxpayers’ money. You don’t fritter away the taxpayers’ money, you don’t play with the taxpayers’ money.
“My dear CEO, you have a duty, as the Head of the Tax Ombudsman, to ensure that issues of taxation that come before you are impartially resolved. Bear in mind that your legacy will speak for you, for good or for bad. You are not going to be there forever. Be conscious of your legacy for as long as you will be there. You may not have the opportunity to rebuild anything once it is destroyed. No matter how long you will be there, be conscious of your legacy because history will judge you, and our prayer is that history will be kind to you.
“As I speak to you I speak to all your staff, so that they know where you are coming from, and the charge from the throne of Asaba. We are not urging you, as some people often do, to go there and steal money and bring it. We are not going to do that, let it be on record. Go and discharge your duty efficiently to the best of your ability. At the end of the day, like I said, it is your legacy, not the legacy of your people or the legacy of Asaba that will speak for you, because omce anything happens everybody will abandon you to carry your cross.
“Be conscious of that, let no one lead you into temptation. I will not, so let no other person do. It is a national assignment and we want you to come out untarnished, without blemish. That is what the Asaba throne is saying”, the monarch stated.
He lauded Dr. Nwabueze on his appointment, which he noted was in fulfilment of the desire of Asaba people to have their sons and daughters in commanding heights of authority, and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity given to the Tax Ombud to serve, while describing the appointee as eminently qualified for the position.
Dr. Nwabueze had, earlier in his remarks, told the Asagba that the visit was to formally inform him of his appointment, in September last year, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the pioneer Tax Ombud/CEO of the Office of Tax Ombudsman of Nigeria, which he explained was a creation of the 2026 Tax Reform Act.
He added that the creation was a component of the ecosystem of tax administration in Nigeria, revealing that the mandate of the office was to resolve and review issues relating to taxation in order to build trust in the nation’s tax administration.
The CEO solicited prayers and blessings from the throne to make his tour of duty successful.
