The Oyo State Government has inaugurated a Joint State Revenue Committee that would see to the smooth running of revenue collection in the state.
The inauguration took place, on Wednesday, in the conference room of the Ministry of Finance, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.
At the inauguration, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Internal Revenue Service (OYSIRS), Mr Adebowale Awakan, explained that the committee was inaugurated to ensure that the State Revenue Service and the Local Government Areas are on the same page on revenue collection and to make sure the people of the state do not encounter pressure in paying taxes and other levies.
According to a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, the Chairman said; “Convenience of payment is one of the canon of taxation. So, every taxpayer should pay as at when due in a way that will not exact any pressure on them.”
Awakan stated that the committee would sensitise and give the consultants appointed the necessary guidelines and assistance in the discharge of their duty, noting that the committee is a platform for interaction among the operational arms of the revenue administration in the state.
“Consultants should therefore be mindful of the need to relate and cooperate with their principals and other stakeholders. The support of the management of OYSIRS, the Executive Chairmen of our various Local Government Councils and that of the Headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would inevitably be needed in the execution of resolution.
“The Revenue collected by the Federal Government is different from the State Government and state revenue is different from Local Governments. We don’t want multiplicity of taxes and as His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde directed that the tax rate should not be increased to avoid pressure on the people but rather enlarge the tax net for revenue increment,” the OYSIRS Chairman explained.
He asserted that the statutory assignment of the committee is to implement the decision of the Joint Tax Board; advise the Joint Tax Board, the state and the local government on revenue matters; harmonize tax administration in the state; enlighten members of the public generally on state and local government revenue matters and carry out other functions as may be assigned to it by the Joint Tax Board.
Awakan added the Revenue Committee would extend its tentacles to all areas where revenue is expected to be generated so that the government would have enough to fund its projects and other assignments.
The newly-inaugurated committee is headed by the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, while the chairman of each Local Government Revenue Committee; a representative of the Bureau on Local Government Affairs not below the rank of director; the Legal Adviser to the State Internal Revenue and the Secretary to the Committee, who shall be a staff of the State Internal Revenue Service, are members, with a representative of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as an observer.
PIAK
