House Probes Lottery Operators over Failure to Pay Taxes to FG

James Emejo in Abuja

The House of Representatives wednesday passed a motion mandating its Committee on Governmental Affairs to investigate the activities of licensed lottery operators from 2000 to ensure tax defaulters are made to comply promptly.

The decision was consequent upon a motion by Hon. Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas (APC, Adamawa) on the need to investigate licensed lottery operators for defaulting in their financial obligations to the federal government:

He pointed out that out of the 21 licensed lottery operators in the country, only about three have successfully paid their fees and other taxes to the federal government over the last few years, leading to loss of millions of naira in revenues.

He said the acting Director General of the Nigerian Lottery Commission had recently stated that since his assumption of office about four months ago, the operators had not been meeting their financial obligations to government.

Namdas said: “All over the world, tax evasion is deemed a very serious offence as most advanced countries sustain their economies through effective and transparent taxation system where operators of businesses pay their taxes promptly.

“The Nigerian Lottery Commission can become one of the revenue generating agencies if the operators of lottery are made to pay taxes to the government as and when due, as the government needs the money to execute various projects rather than borrowing to fund the annual budget.”

He said: “Those lottery operators have been defaulting in payments of all their fees to the commission for more than 10 years now, including the nature and type of games being played, the list of winners and total amount generated.”

However, the motion was passed without a debate owing to the House policy that motions which are investigative in nature need not debated in order not to preempt the outcome of the probe.

The committee is expected to report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative action.

Meanwhile, a bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State; and for Related Matters, 2018 as well as a bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Electoral Offences Commission; and for Related Matters all passed their third reading and passed in the House.

In addition, a bill for an Act to Amend the Federal Character Commission Act, 2004 to give married women option of indigeneship and to provide for the establishment of Federal Character Tribunal for the prosecution of violations of the Federal Character Act; and for Related Matters scaled second reading.

The bill was sponsored by Hon. Edward Gyang Pwajok and Hon. Ochiglegor Idagbo.