By Sani Yarima
The Transparency and Accountability in Totality (TinT), with support from the International Budget Partnership (IBP), organized a three-day research and Capacity Building for Tax Justice on Coalition Building in Taraba State.
The event began on the 1st of July 2024 at Fast Track Hotel in Jalingo, the state capital, with the project titled “Strengthening Taxation and Domestic Resource Mobilization Processes in Taraba State.”
Chika Okoh, the Program Officer of the Strengthening Taxation in Africa for Transparency and Equity (STATE) project from IBP, spoke virtually and explained that the study was a gender analysis of taxation policies and their impacts on women and men.
The research aims to identify how taxation policies affect women and men differently, identifying gender biases and stereotypes, as well as analyzing how social and cultural norms influence taxation policies.
Chika Okoh mentioned that the gender analysis of tax policy and administration in the informal sector is being carried out in Taraba, Cross River, and Kano states.
Haliru Ahmed Khalifa, the National lead of Transparency and Accountability in Totality (TinT-Follow Taxes), stated that the main objective of the research was to gather information on disaggregated data on income and tax payments from women and men engaged in businesses in the informal sector, with a specific emphasis on understanding the economic activities of women.
The study aims to produce research outputs and reports that will influence policies and programs for the general welfare of Nigerians.
Additionally, the Transparency and Accountability in Totality Follow Taxes, in collaboration with the African Center for Tax and Governance as technical research partners, under the Strengthening Taxation in Africa for Transparency and Equity (STATE) project, and other IBP State Project partners, conducted extensive data collection activities in markets in Taraba State.
The markets included Kasuwan Mata and Kasuwan Bera within the Jalingo local government area, as well as markets in Gassol and Wukari local government areas, and other locations in the state.
The collected data, in cooperation with ANWBN, SWIT, Tax Justice Network, local media, and the Chairperson of market women, will serve as a crucial foundation for advocacy efforts.
These efforts aim to evaluate the alignment between existing laws and their practical implementation, thereby advancing transparency and governance effectiveness.
The findings from the research will be utilized as advocacy points in engagements with policymakers.
The meeting involved the representatives of the state Internal Revenue Board, market women, CSOs, people with special needs, and the media, among other stakeholders.