By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The resignation of British Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, over revelations of property tax underpayment has reignited global conversations on tax accountability, with fresh calls for stronger enforcement in Nigeria.
In reaction, social commentator, Omoba Rasheed Awofeso, urged Nigerian tax authorities to intensify efforts against evasion and underpayment, stressing that effective taxation remains central to national development.
“Taxes are for the nation’s growth, and the tax authority must be ready to work,” Awofeso said.
He drew parallels with the recent controversy involving Senator Dino Melaye, who publicly protested a hefty tax bill linked to luxury vehicles allegedly registered in his name.
According to Awofeso, such disputes expose deeper issues of transparency and enforcement in Nigeria’s tax system.
“We saw the tax liability presented to Senator Dino Melaye on his posh vehicles. He claimed he never owned the ascribed vehicles, but databases exist to track and trace vehicles registered to an individual’s profile. That is how our systems are wired,” he noted.
Awofeso added that beyond legal obligations, tax compliance should be seen as a moral duty critical to sustaining development.