By Fatima Muraina
|
The Ondo state Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) has assured of meeting the N35billion internal generation of revenue target for this year.
Chairman, of the board, Mr. Tolu Adegbie stated this in an interview with The Hope in Akure.
Adegbie said the board will use the strategy employed last year on enforcement to ensure that the target is met.
He observed that a lot of people are responding to payment of tax while the land use charge will extend to cover all the 18 local government areas of the state.
His words: “By the time we go to all the local governments, there will be a great improvement . We have been collecting from only three local governments of Ondo, Owo and Akure, we have not even finished covering them and the money accrued will be shared with the local government areas”.
He said efforts will be on the corporate organisations and some associations who do not remit the taxes collected from their members to the coffers of the state government.
He also indicated the board’s intention to increase the number of people paying tax rather than increasing the tax on payers.
The board, he further stressed will strengthen its relationship with all the MDAs to work with them to make them more efficient.
While applauding the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency, ONDIPA on its determination to generate N600million for this year, Adegbie said the board will ensure that the agency will be enhanced in its operation, making sure that all what it needed is provided for.
He urged people not to criticised government for non provision of infrastructures but to play their part by paying their taxes before they can demand for accountability from government
Adegbie advised people to always collect receipt on every tax paid which he said is the only evidence of payment.
The receipt, he said has the Ondo state logo which is an indication that the tax payed is remitted to the coffers of the state government.
For corporate bodies or those whose tax are paid from the source, Adegbie advised such people to approach their corporation for tax clearance certificate which the organisation will collect from the board at the end of the year for it’s members of staff.
He called on the citizens of Ondo state to appreciate Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his political will to enforce taxation.
According to him the governor is among those that are actively supporting and providing the political will through the BIR.
“When you talk of our achievements last year, it could not have been possible without Mr Governor’s political will, it is his grace and political will that we have been enjoying and making us to perform”, he expressed.
