The new president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Adeshina Adedayo, has expressed readiness to further strengthen the governance and leadership style of the institute, where professionalism would override politicking with regards to policy formulation and governance issues.
 
Adedayo, who stated this during his investiture as the 15th president of the CITN over the weekend, expressed commitment to the Institute’s role in national development and growth.
 
He promised to engage with the council and body of past presidents on the adoption of the operational implementation draft 2021 to 2027 strategic plan, themed ‘Developing the Tax Profession’ within the year in recommending a revised direction for the institute.
 
He said the strategic plan, which would soon be unveiled, would leverage stakeholders’ involvement and would focus on members, employers, educational institutions, regulators, policymakers and the general public.
 
According to him, the strategic direction is to connect with stakeholders, build administrative and technical capacity as well as effective communication.
   
He commended the government on the implementation of the tax reforms, even as he promised to align with the government’s efforts to offer the institute’s perspectives in addressing issues relevant to the improvement of the tax system.
   
To achieve this, the new CITN boss sought the co-operation of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), states internal revenue services under joint tax board, the tax appeal tribunal, the academia and organised private sector, among others.
   
In his keynote address, the immediate past president of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Prof. Muhammad Mainoma, urged the new CITN president to bring into his administration more innovation, sound stewardship and accountability. He also urged him to be objective even as he moves to raise the bar in revenue generation.
 
Earlier in her valedictory remarks, immediate past president of the CITN, Gladys Simplice, gave a scorecard of her stewardship during her tenure. While wishing the new president a fruitful tenure, she also commended those who made her tenure a success.