The Kaduna State Government has declared a state of emergency on revenue generation. Suleiman Abdu Kwari, the state Commissioner of Finance, announced this in a press statement issued today in Kaduna.

He said that the current economic situation in the country “has necessitated urgent actions structured to improve the IGR of the state in the short, medium and long term,” adding: “This will entail a significant reform of the legislation and practices governing the generation and collection of revenue in Kaduna State.

“A major plank of this reform is the new tax legislation being considered by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.”

The commissioner said the proposed tax law codifies and consolidates all taxes, levies and revenues collectible in Kaduna State in one law and one document.

He added that the law will vest the collection of these revenues in only one agency, a revamped Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service.

“This,” according to him, “will give investors more certainty, ease the cost of doing business and remove the problem of multiple taxation and harassment by multiple agencies.

“The new interim management has the mandate to prepare the revenue agency for its expanded mandate under the new legislation.

“Strong leadership is required for the enhanced role the agency will play as the sole collector of all government revenues.”

The statement announced that a new interim management has been appointed for the Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue.

The Acting Executive Chairman of the board is Moukhtar Ahmed, who was until his appointment Special Adviser on Investment Promotion to the Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

Also appointed is Mr. Chris Umar, who has been named Acting Company Secretary/Legal Adviser to the agency. Umar is Special Adviser, Legal Matters to the Governor. The appointments take effect today.

Kwari, who chairs the interim supervisory board of the revenue agency, listed some of the terms of reference given to the new management. They include to:

a. Urgently plug all leakages in Revenue Generation in the State

b. Enforce centralised collections of all government revenue by the BIR

c. Ensure that all MDAs that operated under Generate, Remit and Spend remit all revenues to the BIR

d. Make such administrative and institutional changes as to prepare the board for transition to KAD-IRS once the law is passed.

e. Assess the IT infrastructure and initiate changes as may be required

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.

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