….set to begin payment of salaries from IGR January
By Gabriel Atumeyi
The Government of Sokoto State has introduced the e-tax model for collection of taxes and other revenues.
The state’s Commissioner of Finance, Abdussamad Dasuki, made the disclosure at the induction of revenue officers of the Sokoto Internal Revenue Service, SOIR.
The induction was aimed at preparing newly employed revenue officers for optimum performance in line with Sokoto State’s new spirit and paradigm shift in the generation of IGR, Dasuki said.
He added that the state has experienced a marked improvement in internal revenue generation since the inception of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration in 2015 and is rated among the best in IGR.
Abdussamad Dasuki, who is also the San Turaki of Sokoto, told the gathering that the e-tax portal would revolutionise the process of tax payment by enabling tax payers to remit their obligations to the state “from the comfort of their bedrooms.”
He acknowledged the transparency and meticulousness of the revenue officers recruitment process, which he said was completely devoid of favouritism or political considerations.
The Commissioner, therefore, expressed confidence that the officers would discharge their duties with competence and commitment, adding that payment of their allowances would be determined by their capacity to meet their targets, which would be assessed from the end of the current quarter.
Furthermore, Dasuki informed the inductees that they are integral to the achievement of the target that Sokoto State has set for itself of paying workers salaries from IGR from January 2023.
The Commissioner expressed confidence that the target would be realised, considering the clean up of the system, particularly through the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Law in the state.
He assured staff of SOIR of the provision of sufficient working facilities and equipment, which would be available as soon as their assumption of duty next Monday.
In his presentation at the event, former Executive Secretary of Joint Tax Board, Abuja and Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Chief Oseni Elamah, acknowledged the remarkable achievement of the Sokoto State in IGR, which he ascribed to the commitment of the Ministry of Finance and SOIR.
Chief Elemah acknowledged that such performance could only be sustained and improved through collaboration and synergy, while emphasising the enlightenment of tax payers in order to induce the willingness in them to discharge their obligations.
In his welcome remarks, the Executive Chairman of SOIR, Aminu Sarki, noted the far reaching positive developments in the Service, which placed it in position to discharge its functions efficiently.
He urged the staff to live up to the high standards expected of them, cautioning that there would be no room for laxity and indolence on their part.