…Says plans in place to tackle tax avoidance, evasion
Chairman of Delta State Internal Revenue Service, DSIRS, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata, has said that the state Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, grew with over N30 billion, from N84 billion in 2022 to N114 billion in 2023, with a firm promise to surpass IGR projection of N130 billion for the year 2024.
He made the disclosure on Monday at the Corporate Headquarters of the service in Warri, when he received on courtesy visit the Executive Assistant on Communications to Delta State Governor, and Head of Delta State Orientation Bureau, DSOB, Dr Latimore Oghenesivbe, saying that the gigantic infrastructure projects embarked upon by the governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, requires huge funding.
Ighrakpata assured that DSIRS Management has devised painless ways and means of consistently increasing revenue generation with special focus on the informal sector by tracking self employed individuals for direct self assessment, and are made to pay tax arrears, pointing out that this administration will not tolerate tax evasion and avoidance.
The DSIRS Chairman passionately appealed to the citizenry to willingly perform their civic responsibility of paying their taxes, levies, fees, rates and charges as and when due to the state government as stipulated in Section 24(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Personal Income Tax Act, 2011 and the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Law, 2020, adding that governor Oborevwori is already fulfilling his electioneering campaigns promises to the people.
Ighrakpata assured that the state leadership under Oborevwori will continue to be accountable to the people, use tax payers money and other financial resources to develop the three senatorial districts, as can be seen from the ongoing construction of three flyovers, road expansion projects and pedestrian bridges awarded to construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to the tune of N78 billion.
He said Delta State Orientation Bureau remained a critical stakeholder in the continuous effective dissemination of state information, and urged it to educate the citizenry on the need to collaborate with government by paying their taxes, pointing out that it is also the duty of the Bureau to consistently explain to the people what government and the governor is doing with their money in terms of infrastructure projects and socioeconomic development in the state.
“In the outgoing year 2023, the Service performed creditably well by generating over N114 billion as against the Internally Generated Revenue target of N19 billion, an increase of 20.09 percent.
“In spite of the landmark achievement, we are not resting on our laurels. We are still vigorously devising ways and means to ensure we continue to make significant progress in IGR generation.
“The focal point of this administration is the informal sector that has to do with direct assessment of self employed individuals; artisans, traders, associations and so on and so forth.
“We have engaged some consultants to cover a cluster of local government areas across the three senatorial districts, and data collected shall be profiled through deployment of ICT for seamless and efficient assessment and collection of taxes, resolution of tax disputes and issuance of tax clearance certificates.
“We also repositioned the enforcement and compliance departments for effective service delivery. This is not only for the purpose of prosecuting defaulting taxpayers, but also to engender the culture of Voluntary Compliance, to enable the Service surpass her tax collection projection of N130 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.
“The new Head of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, Dr Latimore Oghenesivbe, is a core stakeholder in the implementation of our amiable governor’s MORE agenda. I have no doubt in my mind that he shall deliver on his assigned responsibilities. Latimore is a professional communication strategies with broad knowledge of media politics.
“This Service will partner with DSOB in the area of sensitization campaigns on the need for our people and companies to tay their taxes. Count on our support and synergy. We are prepared to work with you, going forward,” Hon Ighrakpata assured.
Earlier, Dr Latimore Oghenesivbe, the Head of the State Orientation Bureau and Executive Assistant on Communications to governor Sheriff Oborevwori, congratulated Ighrakpata and the Executive Directors of Delta State Internal Revenue Service, for their well deserved appointments at the instance of the state governor.
He said the new management of Delta State Orientation Bureau under his leadership is committed to the sensitization of the citizenry on the need to take their civic responsibility seriously, especially in the area of payment of taxes, pointing out that deliberate media campaigns through radio Jingles, television commercials, billboards and other promotional materials shall be properly utilized to drive the message across the three senatorial districts.
Oghenesivbe posited that the kind of mega projects currently embarked upon by governor Oborevwori, and the ones still in the drawing board, such as the planned upgrade of Warri Stadium to a world class sports facility would obviously require huge funding, while commending the board of DSIRS for the landmark achievement within a short period of time and counting.
“We are the Bureau resolved to do things differently in order to achieve better results, and part of the plan is to synergize efforts with major stakeholders across board, and that includes the Delta State Internal Revenue Service in our sensitization campaigns on the need for our people and companies to tax their taxes, levies, fees and charges promptly, file Annual Returns and to see government as partners in progress.
“We shall utilize radio Jingles, Television commercials, billboards, flyers, posters, town criers where necessary and to hold mini town hall meetings with community leaders, youth and women leaders to achieve our objective of adequately explaining government policies, programmes and achievements across communities.
“We are delighted that DSIRS has expressed readiness to collaborate with the Bureau. We shall always be on the same page in all planned sensitization campaigns.
“We have secured airtime with the state owned radio stations, and we shall soon commence Orientation Talk Shows that would enable listeners to call for clarifications on several topics, and feedbacks transmitted in writing to the appropriate government Ministries, Departments and Agencies for processing, and to improve service delivery on the part of government,” Oghenesivbe said.
DSIRS Board members present include; Hon. Chief Solomon Ighrakpata Executive Chairman,
Dr. Frank Nwogu – Executive Director Operations, Mr. Kelly Oghenekevwe Executive Director – Finance and Administration, Mr Collins Iwebunor – Executive Director ICT/ Corporate Development and
Hon. Barr Orezi Esievo – Executive Director Legal Services
DSOB Management team present during the visit are; Head of Bureau, Dr Barr Latimore Oghenesivbe, the State Director of Orientation, Comrade Mike Arinze, Director of Administration, Madam Kate Olika Isioma, Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr Ngozi Uwaje, Assistant Director of Orientation, Mrs Wuememe, Chief Admin Officer, Mr Leslie Obiebi, Assistant Chief Information Officer, Mr Omonigho Okotie and Principal Information Officer, Mrs Rukevwe Agbroko.