Deputy gov urges LGs, state synergy to boost revenue

Abia State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ude Chukwu, has called for synergy between the state government and the 17 councils, as well as other stakeholders in revenue generation, towards increasing government revenue.

The deputy governor, who chairs the state’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) Council, during a meeting in his office, stated that it was government’s resolve to run a seamless IGR system.

By so doing, he said, double taxation would be minimised and any issue that would not encourage investment in the state jettisoned.

Chairman of Abia State Economic Advancement Team, Chief Mark Atasie, disclosed that Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the state government on issues of revenue collection, harmonisation and multiple taxation had been put in place.

The acting chairman, Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), Chief Celestine Agbara, added that the e-dataTicketing and Abia Pluc were introduced to check sharp practices and forestall multiple taxation on the people.

During the meeting, the deputy governor congratulated the council chairmen, who were inaugurated last month after their election on December 18, and tasked them on aggressive revenue collection, “as much is expected of you in terms of improving the lots of people at the grassroots through provision of democracy dividends.”