The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) has launched its e-payment platforms to enable effective tax collection by making tax compliance easy for taxpayers using technology to drive the tax processes.
Sule Salihu Enehe, the acting Chairman of KGIRS disclosed this during the End of Year Media Parley and Unveiling of the KGIRS Service Charter to the public in Lokoja on Friday, adding that the service has been using the technology in the last three months and the process has decreased the cumbersome method of tax collection as the taxpayer can now pay from the comfort of their various homes and offices.
He said: “The new management has resolved to key into technology to drive the tax process for effective service delivery as well as enhancing compliance in tax payment”.
He pointed out that the technology had provided solutions through its e-tax payment, e-tax receipting, e-filing, e-tax portal, tax payers registration and verification as well as Personal income Tax (for the informal sector).
He emphasised the key position of tax education in state , pointing out that without the tax payer, there would be no tax authority.
The Acting Chairman disclosed that it would be a continuous process in other to drive the process to the grassroot level , adding that Area offices has been fixed across the three senatorial districts of the state , as plans were on to establish tax station in the rural areas.
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He said:.“We are talking the service to the rural areas to enable the people and market women pay their taxes, even in instalments.
“Under this arrangement, taxpayers can pay their taxes with simple handheld machines operated by KGIRS staff with the aid of Automated Teller Machines (ATM)”.
Unveiling the KGIRS Service Charter, Sule Enehe said the Charter would help identify who is a real or fake tax official and also take care of tax clearance certificate, tax receipting and registration.”
He pointed out that the KGIRS was established in 2017 as sole revenue collection agency of the State Government (in accordance with Revenue Harmonisation Law of 2017 to replace the old Kogi State Board of internal Revenue), adding that the service had the mandate to ensure maximum compliance with tax laws so as to facilitate a sustainable revenue driving force for the state government.
The Charter has in it the purpose and functions of the service , its administrative structure, levies and taxes collectable by the KGIRS, taxpayers obligation to KGIRS, taxpayers rights and obligation to tax payers.
Abubakar Bello, Director Administration, in his closing remarks, said that acting chairman had achieved so
much within a period of one year and reiterated the need to always appoint heads of establishments from within the organisation.
Bello also said the Service was looking forward to more synergy and collaboration with journalists with the effort to move the outfit forward and attract more revenue to the state government coffers for more developmental projects in the state.
