By Muhammad Ibrahim,Sokoto
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto has said that the State’s internally generated revenue ( IGR) has riisen from 2.6 billion naira to 3.8 billion naira in less than a year.
He dropped this hint while addressing the Annual Conference of Charterd Institute of Taxation of Nigeria which took place in Abuja.
According to him, the tremendous improvement recorded in the state’s IGR was as a result of the formidable measures introduced by his administration on tax collection and management.
“When we came on board, the taxation system we met was not very encouraging due to sharp practices that bedevilled both the collection and utilization of the internally generated revenue.
“We then introduced measures that sanitized the entire system of revenue collection and management in the state,” he added
As a result of this, the Governor said his administration was able to raise more funds which are being used judiciously to improve the quality of lives of the electorate.
He added that the present administration has executed various people-oriented projects cutting across roads network, water supply, empowerment programmes and improving the health conditions of the people of the State, among others.
Governor’s media aide, Abubakar Bawa also said Gov. Aliyu assured the CITN of his administration’s commitment to collaborate with the body so as to further enhance tax collection in the State.
According to him, the collaboration becomes necessary considering the huge demands by the electorate for people-oriented programmes in the State.
Gov. Aliyu added that, his 9-point innovative agenda was designed in line with the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the State, hence the need to source for more funds to meet the people’s expectations.
He also charged CITN to ensure massive sensitization of Nigerians on the importance of paying taxes, saying that not many Nigerians are aware of their responsibility when it comes to the payment of taxes.
He described CITN as a body of professionals who have a lot to contribute to national development, and charged them to use their expertise to assist the country in its revenue generation.
Earlier, the President of the Chartered Institute of Nigeria, Samuel Agbeluyi said the the annual conference was meant to discuss extensively on how to improve on the mandate of CITN.
He described taxation as.an essential tool in meeting the demands of the citizenry, hence the need for the conference so as to explore more ways through which tax collection can be enhanced in the country.
Mr Agbeluyi commended Gov. Aliyu for his support to the Institute which he described as worthy of emulation.
Speakers at the conference described it as timely and commended the CITN for organising it.
