Reacting to cries of people and businesses in Rivers State over multiple taxes and harassment by the Board of Internal Revenue, the state House of Assembly has commenced moves to restructure the board and boost the revenue of the state without scaring investors, writes Ernest Chinwo from Port Harcourt...
The Rivers State House of Assembly has started moves to change the laws establishing the state Board of Internal Revenue to make it autonomous and boost internally-generated revenue. The assembly last Wednesday held a public hearing on an executive bill aimed at restructuring the board.
The House had earlier requested for memoranda from stakeholders on how to make the law richer in content and achieve the desired goals. Those present at the public hearing included the government ministries, departments and agencies, the organised labour, banks, professional bodies, civil society organisations, corporate bodies and other interest groups.
Public Hearing
Declaring open the public hearing on the draft Rivers State Revenue Administration Bill, Chairman of the Finance Committee of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Josiah Olu, said Governor Chibuike Amaechi introduced the executive bill to increase the internally-generated revenue, harmonise the tax system in the state and to ensure that the tax system meets internationally acceptable standard. He noted that revenue from the federated account was dwindling and that there was need for the state to look inwards to strengthen its revenue generation machinery to sustain development.
"we need to look inwards to ensure that we collect our taxes to shore up government revenue, not necessarily by introducing new taxes but more by ensuring effective and efficient collection of existing ones," he said.
In his message, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Otelemaba Dan-Amaechree, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, said the law governing revenue in the state was already moribund, adding that the state was capable of generating enough revenue for the administration of the state.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Gogo Charles, noted that oil had distorted the picture of government revenue and made citizens to be laid back.
He also noted that since most citizens do not pay taxes, they do not bother what government does, or take government to task over its activities.
He expressed the belief that the new law would awaken the consciousness of the people to their responsibilities and take interest in government actions and activities
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