FIRS, BIRS To Partner For Improve Taxation In Benue State
BIRS Chairman, Chief Mrs Mimidoo Azape Orubibi, FIRS State Comptroller, Rimanskep Nuhu with other management staff of BIRS and FIRS.
By: Prosper Okoye –
Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) and the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) today, have agreed to form an alliance, that will improve the tax revenue collection in Benue state.
The FIRS State Comptroller, Rimanskep Nuhu, while speaking at the partnership inauguration, stated that the alliance was for information sharing, in order to optimize the tax collection system for the federal and state government.
other objectives for building the partnership, are for the sensitization of tax payers on voluntary compliance and correct tax payment; to carryout joint taxation operations, amongst others.
According to Mr. Nehu: “It will also help FIRS to penetrate areas it could not without the help of BIRS, like the local markets.”
The Federal Tax boss said the extent of achievement the formed alliance would produce, depended on crucial union stakeholders. He encouraged stakeholders to educate their members on the need to remit taxes properly, and on time.
Also Speaking, BIRS Chairman, Chief Mrs Mimidoo Azape Orubibi mentioned the challenges the state tax collection agency encounters in course of performing its duty.
She however, expressed optimisim that the partnership would help them curb these challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges we have in taxation is bringing companies, whether limited enterprise or individuals into tax net.
“FIRS will assist BIRS to bring companies that are in business, but have evaded tax, into the state tax net,” She said.
On BIRS obiligation to the partnership, Chief Azape continued: “There are business premises In the state where FIRS will need a court order before they can access, but because I also oversee the affairs of the 23 local governments, coupled with our opened door auditing system, we can help get access to these places.” She assured.
The BIRS Tax Boss, further noted that the partnership will intensify tax education in the state. She added that tax enforcement will be used on deviant business owners only as the last option, to sure compliance.
In separate speeches, the Chairman Society for Women In Taxation (SWIT) Mrs Shiva Rae Kondoun, Chairman Chartered Institute of Taxation Nigeria, Mr Sunday Odagba, ICAN representatives, Michael Achi and Bishop Dzungwe, and the Vice chairman, ANAN, Mr David T. Iortan; all committed to support the resolutions of the new alliance, and to persuade their members to comply to the payment of taxes.
