BIRS BOARD COMMENDS CHAIRMAN FOR IMPROVING REVENUE GENERATION
The Executive Chairman Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Chief (Mrs) Mimi Adzape with members of the Board and Management team.
The Executive Chairman Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Chief (Mrs) Mimi Adzape-Orubibi has been commended by the board of the service for her efforts in improving the revenue fortunes of the state.
The board gave the commendation during her quarterly meeting at the BIRS headquarters in Makurdi, on Friday, 25th March, 2022. Mr. Nyiyongo Emmanuel, a member of the board representing Benue North-East senatorial zone (zone A) who spoke on behalf of other members of the board appreciated the chairman for the zeal she has brought into BIRS which he added that they as board members were willing to key into that zeal to facilitate the financial fortunes of the state. He further expressed their desire to cooperate with the chairman to succeed with her vision for the service and the state.
Earlier during the meeting, Mrs. Orubibi in her opening remark highlighted some of the modest achievements the service has recorded under her watch so far, which includes, relocation of the headquarters from a rented facility to the permanent site, amendment of the state revenue administration law, introduction of technological innovations to minimize revenue leakages among other strides.
The chairman informed the board that upon her assumption of office in November last year (2021) she was greeted with a worrisome letter from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission decrying the low profile of the state internally generated revenue which they emphasized was affecting the the vertical and horizontal formulae of federal allocation for the state, hence the sharp fall FAAC allocation for Benue state.
To arrest the ugly situation, the chairman said she immediately called the Governor’s attention to it and to the fact that almost all the ministries in the state were operating as essential service providers thereby utilizing over 70% of their generated revenue without remitting same into the state consolidated revenue fund (CRF). This among other leakages and sharp practices she noted were responsible for the dwindling revenue profile of the state.
She further added that this necessitated the amendment of the law which the Governor sent as an executive bill to the state house of assembly and was passed into law and assented to by the Governor.
The chairman also informed the board of her engagement with the traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state on curbing the dangerous activities of illegal revenue collectors in the state, as well as the collaboration with the local Chiefs in the sensitization and awareness creation for the taxpayers.
On the use of technological innovations the chairman said her administration was leveraging on such innovations to digitalize revenue administration in the state to enhance efficiency, transparency and accountability. She said so far, her administration has reintroduced the installation of electronic dashboard in all revenue collecting ministries to monitor real-time all collections made using POS machine. The chairman added also that the service has commenced the purchase of desktop and laptop computers to equip all the area and zonal tax offices and make them tax compliance.
The Revenue Boss appreciated Governor Samuel Ortom for the support enjoyed from him which has made it possible to record the achievements so far. And added that with the strong support of the Governor the service under her watch was poised to record more achievements and improve tremendously the revenue profile of the state.
The board meeting which is the first since the reappointment of Mrs.Orubibi also considered and approved the promotion of staff successfully due for promotion. On disciplinary cases the board adjourned to the next meeting to allow for more investigation.
The meeting had in attendance Mr. Godfrey Agada from the office of the Accountant General of the state, Thomas Unongo from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Esv. Agaba O from ministry of Lands, Dr. Aondowase Nyam from ministry of Finance, Mrs. Nyifan FM from ministry of Trade and Investment while Mr. Tyolumun Peter Gever attended for ministry of Water Resources and Environment.
©Suswam Jacob Terhemba
Media Assistant to the Executive Chairman, BIRS
