The Bauchi State Board of Internal Revenue has said that it generated more than N8.49 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) spelled out in the state’s 2015 budget.
The Acting Chairman of the board, Alhaji Yakub Isa, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Tuesday.
Isa said, “I don’t want to give you figures, but I want to categorically tell you that we have generated more than the target assigned to us going by the budget.’’
He attributed the successes of the board to his long stay and experiences within the various departments of the board.
”My understanding the terrains and as director for over five years and having gone through all the departments, therefore, I use same to block all loopholes that existed.
”I equally introduce payment of tax through banks than through collectors and I abolish revenue account and replace it with pay through direct system.
”I establishes taxpayers enlightenment forum, no coercion except in exceptionally cases, reformed auditing strategies and back duty assessments and we are able to excel,’’ he said.
Isa said in spite of the successes recorded, the board was still facing challenges such as lack of database, tax enforcement laws and awareness on the part of payers.
The others, he said, included no tax revenues from boards and parastatals, internet tax and high tax evasion in the informal sector of the economy as they lack records.
The chairman said in spite of the success recorded, the board was mapping out strategies to explore more avenue where it could boost its revenue.
He called on taxpayers in the state to voluntarily pay their taxes and not to wait till they were coerced by officials of the board.
(NAN)
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