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The Executive Chairman, of Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service AKIRS, Sir Okon Okon, has commended the University of Uyo Tax Club on the successful hosting of its maiden tax conference.

The three-day event featured a tax sensitisation campaign at a secondary school tagged "tax goes to school", a road walk, conference, tax debate, panel discussion, and dinner.

The conference with the theme, "Building a tax conscious nation: Our collective responsibility", took place at the Onyeama Ugochukwu Hall, town campus of the University of Uyo on Friday 21st June. 

Sir Okon who was honoured as grand patron of the club lauded the executive and members of the club for their lofty initiatives aimed to broaden the tax awareness and enlightenment campaigns by tax administrators especially the 'catch-them-young' programme focused on inculcating tax culture among the younger generation. 

“I am delighted that our young ambassadors less than one year after we inaugurated the University of Uyo Tax Club have taken a courageous initiative to organise a tax conference. The Club has hit the ground running with robust tax education and campaigns within the University community. Extending this campaign to other tertiary institutions in the State should be the next target”, he stated.  

Sir Okon Okon, represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Account, AKIRS, Elder Nse Atang, noted that the theme of the conference was apt especially in seeking to reawaken a tax-conscious culture and a collective responsibility towards it. 
       
He said the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno,  has given visible value to taxpayers' money with the ARISE compassionate homes, the model schools and health centres, payment of bursaries and other services, hence should be supported by citizens by paying their taxes voluntarily. 

The Executive Chairman assured the tax club of AKIRS' continued support for their tax awareness programme and urged them to extend the campaign to other tertiary institutions in the State.       
    
Others conferred as patrons of the University of Uyo tax club were, ⁠Elder Godwin Owonam, Chairman CITN, Uyo & District- Patron and Mr. Mukoro Johnson, Tax Comptroller, Uyo- Patron.

The conference was attended by staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),  members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, CITN, and Society of Women in Taxation, SWIT.