The Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) generated a sum of Six Billion, Two Hundred and Twenty Seven Million, Ninety Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Three Naira, Forty Two Kobo) in the fourth quarter of 2020.
This is inspite of the imbalances created by the Covid 19 global pandemic that affected even the global economy.
This is contained in a statement signed by the chief executive of the agency, Shade Omoniyi
According to her, lack of physical contacts with some taxpayers for collections and that the lockdown had created the huge gap during the period.
The statement said that the year 2020 was marked with quick implementations of various measures to cushion the effects of the pandemic on taxpayers, which included the donation of palliatives.
Also, the extension of the deadline for filing Annual Returns from 31st March to 30th September, 2020, 30% waiver on arrears on ground rent and land charge for property owners and land occupiers.
Others include granting of moratorium to informal sector taxpayers, suspension of all enforcement activities, waiver of penalty and interest for High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) and Corporate Organisations and over 30 Community Impact Programmes (CIPs).
The state was emphatic that KW-IRS has ensured accountability and transparency in its internal processes and reporting and improved significantly in its sequential and systematic reporting through the social, print, and electronic media platforms.
As part of its projection for the new year, the Service will be implementing a year round sensitisation and enforcement sessions with a view to reduce the incidence of tax evasion and under remittances
It said the year 2021 would also herald continuous automation of all relevant revenue lines which would change the mode of collection in several touch points across the State.
She appealed to all tax payers to join the Service in improving IGR to help the administration in fulfilling its obligations to the citizens.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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