The Jigawa State Internal Revenue Service (JIRS) expressed concern over acts of sabotage by certain government revenue generation agencies affecting local revenue collection in the state.

The executive chairman of the Jigawa State Internal Revenue Service, Malam Nasir Idris, highlighted the challenges during the launch of the Jigawa Enlightenment and Engagement Team (JEET) with the goal of enhancing revenue generation services in the state.

The executive chairman expressed concern about the lackadaisical attitude of some revenue generation agencies in the state, citing instances of not collecting constitutional revenue and taxes. Additionally, the remittance of the collected funds to the government account was reported to be inconsistent.

Malam Idris expressed concern about the absence of representatives from those agencies at the launching of the Jigawa Enlightenment and Engagement Team (JEET), despite timely invitations extended to them.

He attributed the continuous decline of internally generated revenue in the state to inadequate taxpayer enlightenment and engagement, coupled with poor commitment by tax and revenue collectors.

The Chairman added that “we have the hope to increase the state’s internal revenue generation (IGR) by sixty per cent by the end of the next year and double the revenue in the next two years”.

According to him, the JEET team is aimed at creating more awareness, understanding and cordial relationships between the taxpayers and tax collectors in the state believing it will block leakages and tax fraudulent collection.

Malam Idris maintained that the JEET would digitalize taxpayers’ registration as well as enlighten the taxpayers about electronic payment to avoid any fraud.

“Though I’m newly appointed chairman of the board, we estimated that in 2021 the board will be able to generate N42 billion, and if these leakages are blocked we will double the tax collection by the end of this administration,” he said.

The chairman identified some of the duties of JEET as taxpayer education and enlightenment, Registration of taxpayers, engagement with stakeholders and Data collection, and effective handling of media information among others.

He then called on workers unions, MDAs and all other stakeholders to cooperate with the team to achieve the desired objectives of moving Jigawa state forward. (Nigerian Tribune)