NIRS Exceeding 2024 Target, Generates N11,779,965,051.74bn In 5 Months -Executive Chairman
Rabiu Omaku
The Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State In ternal Revenue Service, Ahmed Yakubu Mohammed has revealed that the State Internal Revenue Service has generated a whooping 11,879,965,051.74bn as five months collections.
The NIRS boss said the 11,879,965,051.74bn in five months was in fulfillment of his covenant to meet up to the 2024 Internally Generated Revenue target for the board by the State Government in 2024 budget.
Ahmed Yakubu Mohammed while giving the monthly breakdown said the board has exceeded the 2024 target, Saying a whooping N1, 785,044,433.48bn was realized in January 2924 and N2, 127,663,040.80bn was generated in February and in March , a total of N2, 088,621,766.06bn was collected as tax.
Adding that N1, 865,828,337.12bn was realized in April and N3, 913,707,474.28bn was collected in May , bringing the cumulative amount to N11, 879,965,051.74bn.
The Executive Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service as set a pace for the One Hundred and Twenty newly recruited staff to add value to the board that was having issues ranging from staff deficit, shortage of logistics respectively.
The State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe applauded the Chairman of the board for his resilience and doggedness in boosting the Internally Generated Revenue of the State, Describing the effort as a paradigm shift.
The important lessions learned by the newly recruited staff of the State Internal Revenue Service was the nitty gritty of revenue generation during the different presentations by various speakers which lasted for barely two hours as Dr. Emmanuel Akabe admonished the staff to shun any vices that may havoc their carrier.
According to Dr. Akabe, “you are warned not to collect cash or issued manuel receipt whatsoever from taxpayers, He also advised them to work above board for the overall interest of the State and urged them to utilize the opportunity accorded them to serve the State”.
The Deputy Governor while declaring the induction training open disclosed that the State Internal Revenue Service management has changed the narrative , recalling that in 2019 ,The board is generating N500m monthly.
Akabe however explained that the Governor brought in innovations to the board by supporting the harmonization law which he said was meant to smoothen the rough ages by given the board it’s autonomy to operate without any interference by the Chief Executive, Engineer Abdullahi Sule.
“What we are expecting is that we are migrating from N500m monthly to N2bn”.
” As we are now the NIRS, I can beat my chest and say is amongst the second best performing State Revenue board in the federation in terms of tax collection”.
” Our Government would not condoned any act of corruption or dereliction of duty whatsoever and if any one caught in the web of any vices will be shun the way out.
The Executive Chairman of the board , Ahmed Yakubu Mohammed while given background of the board maintained that the NIRS was established in 1996,Noting that the Journey was a “New Journey” for the new commers, Urging the inductees to put in their best for optimum result.
“Our superlative achievements over the years are possible due to the willpower of the State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule and his Deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe for creating an enabler for us to success”.
The Executive Chairman told the inductees that the organization encourage hard work and dedication to duty as a revenue generating organization.
He advised the inductees to acquit themselves with a copy of the harmonization law and other relevant documents to serve as a guide in the conduct of their daily task.
Recalled that the Executive Chairman attributed the enabling atmosphere created by the State Governor to the harmonization law signed by the State Governor as the brain behind the sharp increase in revenue.
“The 2023 collection represents 38 Percent of the exceeded target”
He explained that in 2018, The board generates N6.250bn , in 2019-N7.4bn, In 2020 was N11.07bn,In 2021 is N10bn, In 2022 is N18.48bn and In 2023 N22.282bn.
“Really if you want results in revenue collection you have to do this, automate your process, that is the introduction of Central Billing System, the independence of the board is another factor that will boost our Internally Generated Revenue, He asked.
The Executive Chairman while fielding questions from Journalists during the recent Zonal meeting of State Internal Revenue and Joint Tax Board said last year award to individuals and their business was meant to spur others to follow suit.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule presented an award of excellent performance to Mr. Paul Adamu and the best taxpayer of the year, Mr. Damian Ofonebu of Top 10 Pharmacy and Fatima Ibrahim.
Also, the Nasarawa State Board of Internal Revenue Service rewarded the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja as the best Pay As You Earn of the year while it named Setraco, a construction firm, as the best PAYE compliant of the year 2023′
Chief Chukwuemeka Oliver was selected as the Best Income taxpayer of the year 2023, The planning committee saddled with the selection of beneficiaries of the award presented an award of excellent service to Agye Obutu as the best watchman of the year 2023′
Others include Sarki as the best driver of the year, while Esther Agida, a female, and Salihu Umar , a male were rewarded as the Discipline Staff of the Year, Abdulkarim Yusuf, a physically challenged staff bag the award of Most Prudent Employee of the year.
John Ambaga, male, and Hassana Adamu, female The Most committed staff of the year 2023, and Patience Efolan bagged an award for hardworking staff, while Ibrahim Magaji , male hardworking staff.
Diikko Hussaini bagged the award of Head of Collection of the year, Godwin Barnabas Sani as Area Task Officer Of the Year and Paul was rewarded as Best Zonal Officer of the Year while Yakubu Hamza for widening and deepening Task Base.
Mr.Bulus Akaba as the best Director of the year, and Umar Adamu Okpadobu as the Ambassador of Goodwill, Others that were carefully selected includes the Lagos liaison office, The Chairman of the Planning committee, Sabo Balarabe Usman said the award and reward to hardworking staff was meant to spur others to do more.
Ahmadu Haruna Ahmadu of Guaranty Trust Bank in his presentation on Guaranty Pension explained that Pencom which is Pension administrators have the responsibility to regulate and monitor the contributions of staff of the board just like any civil servants in the State.
Adding that an employee was mandated by law to contributes eight percent of their basic salary while at the receiving end the amount captured for every contributor is eighteen percent of that money comes into the account of an employee monthly as Pencom will invest the money , Haruna described GTB Pension as one of the top notch in the administration of emolument benefit for retirees.
Rabia’t Ibrahim Addra in her presentation hinged on the significance of harmonization law in the life of the State, She in addition averred that the board is supreme to employ, transfer, punish, dismiss, promote as well monitor , delegate a staff to collect tax on her behalf .
Monthly IGR Generation By NIRS
January-1,786,044,433.48
Feburary-2,127,663,040.80
March -2, 088,621,766.06
April – 1, 865,828,337.12
May -3, 913, 707,474.28
Total 11,879, 965, 051.74bn
She reeled out some of the functions of the board to includes .
To seize taxpayers property if he defaulted.
Issues notice to defaulting taxpayers.
Quoting section 55 (1) which says the board is subject to the Governor’s directive except if he delegate a staff
A staff cannot on his own, meaning single handedly enforce an assignment .
The Director Collections, Mr. Bulus Akaba who spoke and educate the new staff on Personal Income Tax and Assessment said Personal Income tax was one of the higher tax collected, He said Personal Income tax are more sustainable and generated more than any other tax.
According to him,Section 1 (1) said it impose tax on parents and children ,income from salary and amongst other avenues. Self assessment is allowed when a staff of the board filed an assessment within 30 days for taxpayers or at times applied best of Judgement to arrive at the actual tax he supposed to pay to the State.
Mr Abisabo while speaking on Information Communication Technology described ICT as the backbone of the board, He explained that ICT has eased the workload of the board.
He in addition said the Nasarawa State Internal Revenue Service has unlimited Wifi, and Internet services, especially at all the existing zonal offices including all working facilities.
Abisabo briefed the inductees on the use of the Central Billing System in the conduct of official business.”The only option for you as a staff is to log in to the right channel, This aggravates a gateway to one place “Meaning every authority in the State can view everything at a glance with an invoice method, He added to the inductees.
