Oyo Govt. Inaugurates Joint Revenue Committee

The Oyo State Government, on Wednesday, inaugurated a Joint State Revenue Committee, that will see to the smooth collection of revenue in the state.

In his speech during the inauguration, the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Adebowale Olufemi Awakan explained that the committee was inaugurated to ensure that the service and the local governments in the state are on the same page on revenue collection and to make sure that the people of the state do not encounter pressure in paying taxes and other levies.

According to him, “convenience of payment is one of the canons of taxation, so, every taxpayer should pay as at when due in a way that will not put any pressure on them.”

He also stated that the committee will sensitize and give the consultants the necessary guidelines and assistance in the discharge of their duty.

Mr. Awakan said, ‘’this committee is a platform for interaction among the operational arms of revenue administration in the state. Consultants should therefore be mindful of the need to relate and cooperate with their principals and other stakeholders.

“The support of the management of OYSIRS, the chairmen of our various local government councils and that of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) would inevitably be needed in the execution of the resolution.

“The revenue collected by the Federal Government is different from that of the state government and state revenue is different from that of local governments.

“We don’t want multiplicity of taxes and Governor Seyi Makinde of the state has directed that tax rates should not be increased to avoid putting pressure on the people, but rather we will enlarge the tax net for revenue increment.

‘’The statutory assignment of the committee is to implement the decision of the Joint Tax Board; advice the board, the state and the local governments on revenue matters; harmonize tax administration in the state; enlighten members of the public generally on state and local government revenue matters and carry out other functions as may be assigned to it by the board.

“Moreover, the Revenue Committee will extend their tentacles to all areas, where revenue is expected to be generated so that the government will have enough money to fund its projects and other assignments.

“On this note, I hereby pronounce the Joint State Revenue Committee inaugurated,” the OYSIRS Chairman said.

The newly-inaugurated committee is headed by the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service; while Chairmen of the Local Government Revenue Committees are also members; a representative of the Bureau on Local Government Affairs, not below the rank of director; a representative of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and fiscal Commission as an observer; the Legal Adviser to the State Internal Revenue and the Secretary to the Committee who shall be a staff of the State Internal Revenue Service.

The inauguration, which took place in the conference room of the Ministry of Finance, Secretariat, Ibadan, also had in attendance some Local Government Chairmen, the State Sector Commander, Corp Commander Uche Chukwura and her entourage, OYSIRS Directors, a representative of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Omoyiwola Ajala and representatives of the local governments in the state.

-Kunle Bakare.