By Babajide Komolafe

The West African Union of Tax Institutes (WAUTI) and Nigerian Customs are discussing possibility harmonising taxes in the West African region.

This was disclosed during a visit by a delegation of the WAUTI to the Acting Director of Customs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Salifou Tiemtore in Abuja.

The delegation, led by WAUTI Vice President, Mr. Felix Ahima-Adonteng said there were also discussions on the role of the union and other stakeholders in achieving this feat.

Ahima-Adonteng said the parties agreed that taxation will play a major role in reviving economies of the region thereby meeting the increasing needs of its citizenry.

Discussions during the visit centered on harmonization of taxes in the West African Region and the role of WAUTI and other stakeholders. The role of taxation revenue in regional development was non-negotiable as attested to by all present during the visit, he said.

According to him, the WAUTI is committed to achieving a high level of tax awareness in the region through campaigns, and various means of communication that will be carried out by professionals and stakeholders in the region.

He said that achieving this will require formation of tax professional bodies that will continually educate and harmonise issues of taxation in the region.

Tiemtore said there is increasing need for ECOWAS to support WAUTI in its activities aimed at increasing tax awareness and creating enormous tax revenues to finance developmental projects in the region.

He promised to push for the establishment of a tax directorate in the ECOWAS specifically to be devoted to issues of taxation in the regional body.

According to him, the visit will assist the institute in enlisting the support of critical stakeholders in its activities and programmes aimed at ensuring taxation is given a principal place in the region of West Africa.