Plateau Commences Major Revenue Drive to Boost IGR

Chinedu Eze

The Plateau State Government has embarked on massive drive to improve the revenue base, create jobs and to enable government maximise the benefits of its massive land space.

This was disclosed by the Plateau State Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Yakubu Dati at the stakeholders’ engagement held in Jos.

Dati identified four priority areas, which include the enumeration of properties, recertification of titles, standardization of conversion of titles from customary to statutory and massive issuance of demand notice for payment of ground rent

In a keynote address, the Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University Bokkos, Professor Yohana Izam who spoke on “Efficient Land Administration and Revenue” charged the Ministry to simplify access to titles as a lead way to improved. revenue.

In her remarks, former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue and Chairman of CPP, Mrs. Ifeako Okauru, urged stakeholders to avail themselves with the Consolidated Revenue Law, and to see payment of taxes, rates and fees as a civic responsibility.

In their various submissions the representatives of estate surveyors, builders, private school proprietors, NBA, organised private sector, and other stakeholders pledged to support the initiative.The Secretary of the Government of the state, Prof Danladi Atu, the Chief of Staff, Noel Donjur and Chairman of Plateau State Economic Team, Nde Ezekiel Gomos commended the Ministry for bringing professionals, technocrats, development partners and clients of the ministry under one roof to brainstorm on the way forward for the growth and development of the state through increased revenue generation.

In his remarks, His Royal Majesty, The LongTehl, Donald D. Puntehl said the traditional rulers would continue to play their roles as mediators of customary land owners and government.

The permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Ambrose Allaburah, said land based revenue has been identified as the new black gold of the 21st century, owing to the dwindling income generated from crude oil occasioned by alternative energy sources such as solar and biofuel which is eroding the dependence hitherto placed on crude oil.