Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has set the scale high by pushing up the state’s internally generated revenue from the current N1.1 billion base to a new target base of N3.3bn.

He announced this yesterday in Awka while commissioning the State Internal Revenue Service Headquarters called Revenue House at Agu-Awka.

The governor noted that the imperatives of efficient revenue generation is to enable government meet its obligations to the people and sustain the tempo of development across the state, especially with the dwindling Federal Allocation resulting from falling global oil prices.

In his words, “I met an average revenue of about N500m monthly when we took over about 11 months ago but we have been able to move it to about N1.1bn.

“This is a far cry from where we should be. For us to be more comfortable in what we are doing, we should be generating not less than N3.3bn monthly. That’s why every hand must be on deck.”

The governor recalled that when he took over the mantle of leadership in the state, the price of crude oil was still very high in the international market, adding that the current fall in oil prices has made his administration to seek creative ways of meeting the revenue needs of the state.

Obiano noted that for his government to be able to sustain the ongoing projects in the state, there is need for the state internally generated revenue to be beefed up.

“That’s why we are paying attention to anything that will help us increase our revenue,”

he said.

The governor assured staff of the Revenue Board that government would provide them with the required logistics, including vehicles and adequate security, to help them carry out their duties efficiently.

He said that the government was already working on 32 offices of the Board to equally provide them with a comfortable working environment.

While assuring the staff members that measures had been put in place to block all revenue leakages by ensuring that all taxes were paid into banks, Obiano added that they would be given specific targets which will all come with reward according to performance.

He explained that the State Government had streamlined taxes collected by it and those of the local government councils to avoid duplication or multiple taxation.

Earlier in his speech, the Executive Chairman, Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Sir Okey Moka, thanked the governor for his proactive disposition in ensuring that the facility was completed. He assured that the workforce would work hard to boost the state IGR to an enviable height.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano and Chairman, Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Sir Okey Moka.

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