Ekiti Targets N1.5bn IGR Monthly, Expands Tax Net

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKSIRS), yesterday announced that it would be targeting N1.5 billion tax revenue every month.

The Chairman of EKSIRS, Mr. Muyiwa Ogunmilade, said this in an interactive session with newsmen in Ado Ekiti where he explained the steps the agency has taken to boost the IGR after the Ekiti Investment Summit 2021.

Ogunmilade said that the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has been able to jack up the state’s revenue from “N400 million monthly in 2018 to N850 million without double taxation, without any burden, without increasing taxes. I am just sure that Ekiti can generate N1.5 billion monthly. We are not over- promising. If we can do that, a lot of things will be easier for our state.”

Ogunmilade said the agency succeeded in shoring up the state’s IGR through a process called ‘Tax Net’, where some of the business centres like hotels and schools operating in Ekiti and have not paid taxed for years were registered and made to start paying with immediate effect.

He disclosed that IRS in its determination to tackle tax evasion, also discovered about 150 car wash business premises in Ado, Ikere and Iworoko that were not paying taxes, saying the agency had given them bills to raise the monthly IGR profile.

He added that the informal or shadow sector of the economy like commercial motorcyclists, fondly called Okada riders, tailoring, bricklaying and other associations, are being properly structured, to be able to make adequate contributions to IGR generation.

He said: “We have also introduced land use charge, which is what you pay to government for built property. It used to be tenement rate. We are particularly happy because our people are cooperating in spite of the initial hitches.

“That was why I said we can do N1.5 billion. Tax is not optional. The most certain thing on earth is tax and death. The issue of double taxation doesn’t arise. We are effecting our tax policy implementation with human face.”

The tax chief said the government is also looking for ways to deepen its economic activities, by wooing investors and attract establishment of more private universities and employment generating businesses to Ekiti to increase tax payment.

“We are also looking inwards and revamping our moribund industries. For instance, Nigeria requires 1.7 million litres of milk to cater for daily consumption and only 30 percent is produced locally. This shows that we must work quickly on our Ikun dairy firm that we are doing with Promasidor Nigeria Limited, because we will definitely have off-takers if we produce that 10,000 daily production.

“We are at the centre and we can easily supply Edo, Ondo, Kogi and Kwara States, where there are no breweries. That is why our elite must support us. We have a long way to go.”

Ogunmilade disclosed that Governor Fayemi has given the agency autonomy to ensure independence and efficiency in its operations.

He said: “We can operate without being caged by civil service rules. The law for our autonomy has been signed. We now have the potentials to develop. Tax is not a punishment, it is not a burden. It was even mentioned in the Bible many times than tithe.