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NAPTIP D-G wants legal framework combating human trafficking-related corruption strengthened

The Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof Fatima Waziri-Azi, has recommended the strengthening of legal framework as a measure to combat corruption in human trafficking.
The NAPTIP boss made this recommendation in her research paper presented at the 8th inaugural lecture series of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) on Thursday in Abuja.
The reports have it that the title of the research paper is, “The Interplay between Corruption and Human Trafficking Epidemic: The Implications and Solutions for Nigeria.”
Waziri-Azi stated that the reasons why arrests, investigations, prosecutions and protection had not been successful in human trafficking issues was because of high-level corruption endemic in the system.
She said that corruption had seriously interfered in Nigeria’s policies, adding that if corruption in trafficking in persons was jointly addressed, it would help effectively in combating human trafficking.
The NAPTIP boss said that strengthening of the country’s legal framework would help immensely in ending human trafficking issues, which she said, was prevalent in the country.
She recommended the strengthening of the country’s domestic laws on trafficking in persons, adding that it should be in line with international standards.
“The Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration (TIPPEA) Act 2015 should be amended to include corruption-related human trafficking issues.
“A new section may be introduced or section 34 which provides for tampering with evidence and witness may be amended.
“The section may also make it illegal for a public official to use their office or position to impede investigation, prosecution or execution of a lawful order under the TIPPEA Act.
“The official shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than seven (7) years and to a fine not less than N2,000,000 or both.
“An additional subsection may also be added to provide that ‘Any government official who issues travel documents or facilitate the issuance of same without following the prescribed procedures provided for by law to stop the arrest of offender shall be held liable’,” she stressed.
Waziri-Azi also recommended the enhancing of law enforcement capacities, promoting transparency, accountability and framework of integrity for public officers.
She also called for other joint collaborative efforts of all stakeholders like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and others, as well as integration of the National Action Plan on human trafficking.
She recommended the enhancement of investigation of corruption-related issues, whistle blower and witness protection mechanism, and transparent and stringent recruitment of staff who work in the risk sectors.
The Director-General of NIALS, Prof. Mohammed Ladan, commended Waziri-Azi for coming up with such research work and stated the relevant section of the constitution that spoke to the topic which the NAPTIP D-G had written about.
NAN
Business
Tax Reform Bills: The Verdict of Nigerians

Ismaila Ahmad Abdullahi Ph.D
The public hearings conducted recently by the two Chambers of the National Assembly have elicited positive responses from a broad spectrum of Nigerians, cutting across regional interest groups, government agencies, civil society groups, concerned individuals, the academia, and Labour Unions, among diverse others. Contrary to a few dissensions hitherto expressed in the media, almost all the stakeholders who spoke during the week-long sessions were unanimous in their declaration that the hallowed Chambers should pass the tax reform bills after a clean-up of the grey areas.
The public hearings were auspicious for all Nigerians desirous of economic growth and fiscal responsibility. They were also a watershed moment for the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which had been upbeat about the tax reforms. Indeed, the public hearings had rekindled hope in the tenets of democracy that guarantee freedom of expression and equitable space for cross-fertilisation of ideas. Without gainsaying the fact, the tax reform bills have been unarguably about the most thought-provoking issues in Nigeria today, drawing variegated perspectives and commentaries from even unlikely quarters such as the faith-based leaders, student bodies, and trade unions, which speaks much about the importance of the bills.
In the build-up to the public hearings, not many people believed that the bills would make it to the second reading, much less the public hearings. Even the Northern stakeholders who seemed unlikely to support the passage of the bills have softened their stance and have given valuable suggestions that would enrich the substance of the bills. The Arewa Consultative Forum came to the public hearings well-prepared with a printed booklet that addressed their concerns. It concluded with an advisory that the bills should be “Well planned, properly communicated, strategically implemented and ample dialogue and political consensus allowed for the reforms to be accepted.”
The concerns of ACF ranged from the composition of the proposed Nigeria Revenue Service Board as contained in Part 111, Section 7 of the bill, the unlimited Presidential power to exempt/wave tax payment as proposed in Section 75(1) of the bill, the family income or inheritance tax as contained in Part 1, Section 4(3) of the bill, to the issues around development levy and VAT. On the development levy, the ACF stated that unless the Federal Government is considering budgetary funding for TETFUND, NASENI and NITDA, it does not see the “wisdom behind the plan to replace (them) with NELFUND”.
The position of the North was equally reinforced by the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, Northern Elders Forum, Kano State Government, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, and the FCT Imams. Like the ACF, these stakeholders lent their respective voices to the Section on the Inheritance Tax in Part 1 of the bill and the use of the term ‘ecclesiastical’, which, in their views, undermines certain religious rights and beliefs. The Kano State Government, represented by Mahmud Sagagi, affirmed that “we support tax modernisation” but cautioned that “we must ensure that this process does not come at the expense of states’ constitutional rights and economic stability”. Professor Auwalu Yadudu, a constitutional law professor, drew attention to the use of the ‘supremacy clause’ and cautioned that the repeated use of “notwithstanding” in the bills would undermine the supremacy of the Nigerian constitution if passed as such.
Other stakeholders that made contributions at the sessions included the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, and a host of others. While most of their concerns bordered on technical issues requiring fine-tuning, they were unanimous in their support for the bills. They aligned with the position of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, Ph.D. and the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, which is that the extant tax laws and fiscal regulations are obsolete necessitating reforms aimed at creating a fair and equitable tax and fiscal space to grow Nigeria’s economy.
In one of the sessions, Dr Zaach Adedeji expounded on the criss-cross of trade activities in the Free Trade Zone whereby companies misuse tax waivers as exporters to sell their goods or services in the Customs Area at an amount usually less than the price the operators in the Customs Area who pay VAT and other taxes sell theirs thereby disrupting business transactions. This way, the operators in the Free Trade Zone shortchange the government in paying their due taxes by circumventing extant regulations, which are inimical to the economy’s growth.
Overall, the presentations were forthright, foresighted, and helpful in elucidating the issues contained in the bills. According to the statistics read out at the end of the hearings at the Senate, 75 stakeholders were invited, 65 made submissions, and 61 made presentations. At the House of Representatives 53 stakeholders made presentations. By all means, this is a fair representation. Given the presentations, it is evident that the National Assembly has gathered enough materials to guide its deliberations on the bills. As we look forward to the passage of the bills, we commend the leadership of the National Assembly for their unwavering commitment to making the bills see the light of the day.
Abdullahi is the Director of the Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS.
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