The Joint Tax Board (JTB) has urged state governments’ revenue service board to key into the new tax reform initiatives of Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, whose final report is due for submission to the President.
The Chairman of t JTB and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, gave the advice yesterday at the 155 meeting of JTB, which was held at Zuma Rock Resort, Suleja in Niger State.
He tasked states’ revenue chief executives officers to deal with the changes that are bound to occur and manage or mitigate the challenges.
Adedeji also advised them on how to leverage technology and the disruptions that digital transformation had laid before them, saying that they must carry the people along and let them know they are the most essential and critical party in the tax ecosystem.
According to him, “as Mr President’s reform initiatives continue to unfold and as we await the submission of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee’s final reports, we must begin to look ahead to how the new dispensation can work. At the heart of this are the statutory revenue authorities across the tiers of government.”
Lauding the theme of the meeting, “Post Reform: Repositioning Revenue Authorities For Effective And Efficient Tax Administration, Adedeji said that the focus was not apt but suitable in view of the current reforms.
He commended the Niger State Government for reforms it carried out, which have impacted positively on the state’s internally generated revenue.
Adedeji added: “The critical role of IGR in the success of your administration cannot be overemphasised as your administration has been a strong proponent of enhanced IGR, and your support and encouragement for the Niger State Internal Revenue Service is ample testimony to this fact.
“You have ensured that the Niger State Internal Revenue Service is professionalised while at the same time safeguarding its autonomy.
“Coming off the last seven months of 2023, a rejuvenated approach to revenue generation saw Niger State ending the year on a solid note, with total annual IGR performance crossing the N20 billion mark for the first time in the history of the state.
“At N21.67 billion, collections achieved over 28 per cent growth over the total annual collection of N16.93 billion posted in 2022.
Notably, the percentage growth rate was significantly higher than the cumulative sub-national growth rate of 23.17 per cent. “The momentum was unrelenting going into the new year, with N7.03 billion collected in Q1 of 2024 as against N6.18 billion in Q1’23.