</s> ▁The ▁West ▁African ▁Union ▁of ▁Tax ▁Instit utes ▁( WA UT I ) ▁is ▁an ▁association ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁Char tered ▁Institute ▁of ▁Tax ation ▁of ▁Niger ia ▁( C IT N ) ▁and ▁the ▁Char tered ▁Institute ▁of ▁Tax ation ▁of ▁Gh ana ▁( C IT G ) ▁with ▁the ▁objective ▁of ▁developing ▁and ▁prom oting ▁the ▁tax ation ▁profession ▁in ▁West ▁Africa . ▁A ▁nation ally ▁recognized ▁tax ation ▁inst itute ▁or ▁organization ▁in ▁a ▁West ▁African ▁country ▁is ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁full ▁membership . ▁ ▁In aug uration ▁ ▁The ▁union ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁by ▁James ▁Victor ▁G be ho , ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Community ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁States ▁( E CO W AS ). ▁The ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Ann ual ▁Tax ▁Conference ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁C IT N . ▁The ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁union ▁is ▁Prince ▁R asa q ▁' K un le ▁Qu ad ri , ▁former ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁C IT N . ▁Spe aking ▁at ▁the ▁inaug uration , ▁Qu ad ri ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁W AUT I , ▁which ▁was ▁being ▁fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁C IT N ▁and ▁C IT G , ▁needed ▁about ▁$ 1 3 6 , 7 7 6 ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁operation . ▁This ▁would ▁cover ▁capital ▁requirements , ▁w ages ▁and ▁other ▁oper ational ▁exp enses . ▁Spe aking ▁to ▁rep or ters , ▁Qu ad