Aliyu sets target for board of internal revenue

From JUSTINA ASISHANA, Minna
Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Niger state governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu has dished out a marching order to the newly constituted state's Board of Internal Revenue to meet the monthly generated revenue target of one billion Naira or face dissolution.
He gave the board nine months to get back on track, adding that if there is no improvement on the revenue generated by the state, the Board will be dissolved and new hands will be brought in to achieve the desired result.
The governor who dished out this warning yesterday in Minna while inaugurating the Board of Internal Revenue, Commodity and export promotion agency and the Private School Board stated that the state is supposed to generate one billion Naira monthly but lamented that the revenue generated in the state is not up to 300 million Naira.
"The state is suppose to be generating one billion Naira monthly but the revenue that we generate monthly is not up to 500 million Naira. I am giving you a probation period of six to nine months, if there is no improvement, I will do what is necessary even if it means dissolving this board and constituting a new one", Aliyu stated.
He said that development partners who are interested in investing in the state are finding it difficult to support projects in the state because they find it difficult to understand why the state cannot generate revenue internally.
Aliyu said that the state would not have been depending in the Federation Account if it were generating the targeted revenue adding that it would not have been difficult for the state to have paid the 18,000 Naira new minimum wages if the one billion Naira revenue targets were met every month.
He complained that the problem facing the board is laxity and corruption as most of the staff do not go round to collect tax or most of them collect or divert the money collected for personal means while he urged the board to perform their given duties with diligence and without fear.
The governor, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors forum (NGF) called on the newly constituted board to ensure that there is prompt payment of taxes by the people in the state as the government can only deliver if taxes and rates are paid regularly and promptly.
According to him, "our people are complaining that there is no water supply but how can we supply water when most of these people do not pat water rates. We can only deliver water and other amenities if there is enough money in the coffers of the government. So I urge you to ensure that the payment of tax is regular. If we have to deliver to the people, the people must also compliment and pay for what is being delivered to them."