BAYELSA GOVT SET TO LAUNCH NEW TAX REGIME FOR IMPROVED IGR

 BAYELSA GOVT
SET TO LAUNCH NEW TAX REGIME FOR IMPROVED IGR
Bayelsa state government is to
introduce a new tax regime to ensure proper taxation in accordance with the
Personal Income Tax Act, (PITA) to boost its Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR)
profile of the state.
Governor Seriake Dickson made the
assertion in Government House Yenagoa while receiving the report of the 11 man
committee that was set up on the 7th of August to review the
activities of the State Revenue Board from its inception.
Governor Dickson who applauded the
painstaking manner and the professionalism exhibited by the committee said
taxation of civil servants and political appointees would no longer be
discretionary as it has been in the past.
According to the State Chief
Executive, Government will set up a Committee to study the report and formulate
tax policies based on the recommendations in order to maximize the state’s tax
potentials.
Governor Dickson stressed that the
move has become imperative in view of what he described as “Government’s ambitions
and robust programmes” it has set out to accomplish, especially in its drive to
fund free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school levels
As part of the committee’s
recommendations, Governor Dickson assured that Government would constitute a
Tax Assessment Review Committee to be headed by persons of proven integrity.
Submitting the report, Chairman of
the Committee, Chief Francis Doukpola suggested that the commission payable to
consultants should not exceed 10% of the collection arising directly from their
work.
Chief Doukpola also recommended the enactment
of a law to enforce Tax clearance and registration of Bussiness premises,
establishment of Revenue Court based on a law passed by the State of Assembly,
and the motor licensing office at Obele street be relocated to the Melford
Okilo Road Zonal Tax office.
The Chairman stressed the need for
government to train staff of the revenue board to enable them acquire knowledge
on ICT to able to perform their duties optimally.
On the findings of the committee, he
said the quality of the personnel was grossly inadequate for optimum internal revenue
generation drive, as well as outdated internal revenue legislations.
Chief Doukpola also identified lack
of tax payers’ database, Improper use of tax consultants and non-computerization
of accounting records of the revenue board as some of the reasons for the low
IGR profile of the State.


Daniel
Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press
Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State