The Acting Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Barr. Emmanuel Usoh has said that for revenue service to succeed there is need for revenue agencies to operate an autonomy that would guarantee its independence so as to be able to exploit the revenue potentials maximally.
Usoh made the assertion when he received a seven man technical committee from the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue (KBIR) who were in Edo State on a study tour on how they could improve Kogi State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He said that as an autonomous status, the revenue agency is expected to have a law which separates its operations from the regular pattern that was tied to the Ministry of Finance such that it can operate independently.
While viewing data as a major base which formed the second phase of the process of revenue automation.
Barr. Usoh harped on the need for government readiness to demonstrate political will that would enable revenue agencies to carry out the necessary reforms in view of creating the necessary environment that would ensure its autonomy.
“You need to automate your process, including payment such that officials will not collect cash for any transaction, rather payments should be made through designated banks.” The acting revenue boss pointed out.
The EIRS acting chief who cited capacity building for personnel, including training and education of staff as well as massive enlightenment/sensitization of taxpayers on the rudiments of tax administration/collection.
Highlighting some of the challenges in the transformation process to include blocking leakages in the system, strengthening the law to guarantee an autonomous power to operate, corruption/compromise, lack of adequate sensitization, Usoh urged the visitors to focus more on sensitizing the people on the importance of tax payment.
Leader of the delegation and Director, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes of Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue (KBIR), Alhaji Jubril Saidu noted that there was decline in price of crude oil in the international market which he said has affected the IGR of most states.
He said, this necessitate their visit to Edo State with a view to understudying the operations of EIRS.
“We have heard a lot about your exploits in Edo State. This is an era that all of us are aware that the allocation from the Federal government is seriously on the decline”, stated Saidu.
Continuing, Saidu stressed the need for states to improve on their internally generated revenue.
Said he: “We are embarking on such process, hence the visit to Edo State to see how we can improve on our IGR. We want to get to where you (Edo State) are. We feel we should come here, ask questions, seek solutions to challenges facing us over there and see how we can improve”, Saidu further stated.
