From: LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
The Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), on Tuesday, said that present socioe-conomic situation and political pressures in the state have posed challenges against realizing the set target of N30 billion annually.
Speaking at a media briefing on activities of the agency, in Ilorin, on Tuesday, Executive Chairman of the KWIRS, Dr. Murtala Awodun, said that record of performance for 2017 had showed that the N30 billion annual target was realisable.
Dr. Awodun, who said that the agency realised a sum of N18.2 billion as opposed to a total of N17.2 billion in 2016, added that, “our target is to hit N24 billion. However, we are hoping to hit N20 billion at the end of 2017. There’s nothing stopping the state from hitting N30 billion annually”.
The KWIRS boss linked some of the challenges facing the establishment to the recent local government elections in the state, saying that the election, which was postponed on three occasions, affected operations and fortunes of the agency.
He explained that the agency had to relax its operations during the election period to discourage possible allegations of blackmail against the government establishment.
Dr. Awodun, who also said that the agency was being considerate and sensitive to current socioeconomic plight and conditions of the people in the state, added that there should be significant improvement in tax payment if the needed infrastructure is available.
He also talked about challenges of the single treasury account TSA, identification and enumeration of taxable adults and corporate entities.
The KWIRS boss said that people did not willingly pay tax in the state, adding that the agency had resorted to waiting for them to come for government social services before they are requested to show evidence of tax payment. This will at least force them to pay the required tax rather than enforcing tax payment .