The ‘Caesar standard’ or one more reason you can’t attract bank funding..

1. A company that can comfortably evade taxes or forge documents to underpay import duties is highly unlikely to repay loans. Or keep any commitment especially when things get rough.

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2. Think about it - how do you bring someone hardened enough to take on the government to justice if they refuse to repay bank loans? If the promoters of a company are not afraid of FIRS, please run.

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3. They must either lack a sense of equity (‘give unto Caesar..’) to refuse to meet their obligations to the society or must feel entitled, believing it is ok to act lawlessly. A tax evader is no poster child for sanctity of contract, any contract.

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4. If someone is willing to forge documents or have one forged on their behalf to defraud the government- imagine how far they will go in a dispute with a lender. Or a vendor. Mud slinging is nothing to a fraudster.

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5. Consider the implications of lending to a business that derives it profit, not from delivering value competitively, but from taking advantage of our broken system - the company may become unprofitable with a new Sheriff. Or the successors might lack these subtle skills.

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6. What kind of corporate governance enables a company to function by breaking laws consistently? What else will such leadership permit? Cheat customers? Renege on debt? See where this is going?

If you are in business with such a company, get a longer spoon.

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7. So this is a call to all business owners, shortcut might be tempting especially when ‘everyone’ is doing it. But it could be fatal and must be avoided at all cost, unless your have no intention of building a sustainable company.

A contract is not a corporation.

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8. If all lenders pay more attention to the standard of corporate citizenship, not only will we avoid credit defaults from poorly run businesses, we will empower better corporations.

We (as a nation) are what we accept, what we tolerate, what we celebrate.

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9. And no, this is not a political post, it does not excuse government failure & should not be construed as such. By all means, let us hold our public servants accountable but within the law.

Tax evasion is the character of the corporation, not an act of rebellion.

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10. So if you want to grow your business & you have been a model corporate citizen, please inbox me, we are interested in financing your dream. You deserve our support.

Especially if you operate in health, education, agriculture, renewable energy or transport (HEART).

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AS