The Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), Sule Salihu Enehe, has vowed to clampdown on illegal revenue collectors in the state.
The chairman also warned individuals or group against sabotaging government revenue drive by mounting illegal roadblocks to collect tax meant for state government.
The chairman made this known in a press conference in Lokoja on Wednesday.
Enehe, who expressed deep concern over people he described as touts said, “some people have formed themselves into illegal revenue collectors going about collecting tax meant for the state government, adding that government will not tolerate such act.
“The agency will continue to block all leakages in the system in order to boost revenue generation of the State.”
He said the “perpetrators of the illegal act would be apprehended and prosecuted according to the existing laws.
“We are aware that despite our effort some individuals still hide under transport unions to collect certain amount of money from motorcycle and tricycle operators.
“They block roads in Adankolo junction, suya junction near the federal university Lokoja, first 200 housing unit junction, old market among other places.”
The Chairman maintained that collection of revenue due for the state is the statutory function of KGIRS as spelt out by the law, advising those indulging in illegal collection of revenue to change trade, stressing that the revenue agency would not have mercy for offenders.
“We will not relent on our oars until we rid the state of illegal tax collectors because their actions and activities is already posing security threat to the state. They blocked highways at will to extort money from people in the name of tax collection and we don’t know them.
“The law for revenue collection in Kogi State is very clear to every body and we don’t expect any union to be collecting revenue meant for government, it is illegal and we are appealing to the security agencies in the state to assist us so that we can continually clampdown heavily on them.
“If they refused to change trade and leave the illegal act, we will not be tired of clamping down on them because no body is above the law in Kogi State.”
Speaking on the ongoing process for the implementation of the Land Use Charged Law, the chairman of KGIRS stated that the implementation of the law would pave ways for better infrastructure, improved public services and a greater future for the people of Kogi State.
“When fully implemented, it can foster data-driven decision making, pave the way for the development of smart cities and jobs creation in the state,” he said.
“And in line with the ongoing tax reforms, the law aims at streamlining revenue collection , promote transparency and to ensure that all stakeholders contribute their fair share towards the development of Kogi State.”
