By Akinnodi Francis

The newly inaugurated Joint State Revenue Committee has been charged to enhance revenue generation, collection and reporting activities in the state.
Chairman, Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS), Mr. Tolu Adegbie gave this charge during the inauguration in Akure.
He noted that the committee was a product of the state revenue administration law 2019, approved and signed into law by the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
According to him, “Section 28 of the law deals with the establishment of the Joint State Revenue Committee which shall comprises the chairman of the state internal revenue as chairman, chairman of each local government revenue committee, a representative of the state Ministry responsible for local government affairs not below the rank of a director.
“Others include legal adviser of the state internal revenue service and the secretary of the committee, who shall be a staff of the state internal revenue service”.
Adegbie noted that the committee was tasked to harmonise tax administration in the state, deal with revenue matters of common concern to the state and local government authorities.
“Also to enlighten members of the public on the state and local government revenue matters and considered relevant resolutions of the Joint Tax Board for implementation in the state.”
The ODIRS chairman explained that the agency planned to help the LGAs in their revenue generation, collection and reporting activities, saying in the era of dwindling LGA revenue, there are opportunities the local councils can tap into to improve their revenue generation and collection without unnecessarily creating more tax burden for the populace.
“An audit of state dormant local government account in banks may yield very surprising fruitful results, a review of the list of rates and levies collectable by LGAs and who is currently collecting them may enable serious leakages to be blocked.
“Automation of the collection process leveraging on technology and some of our partners may be worth considering for the various LGAs and stoppage of some of the illegal activities of touts when it comes to market levies may also yield more revenue for the various LGAs.
“All of these and more are the opportunities that we believe lie ahead of both the state and the 18 local governments if work together as a team”.
He said to sustained the the committee, “Mr. Governor has approved sitting allowances for members of the committee payable after each meeting to cushion the effect of transportation of committee members from all over the state. This cost is to be borne by the ODIRS together with all other Secretariat costs.
“It is my believe that with this kind of support from Mr. Governor, the tax administration, tax collection, tax generation and tax reporting activities in Ondo State will be better streamlined and the revenue collected will get to the right sources and will be to the benefit of all the people in the state.”