Kwara revenue system will become a model for others – FIRS boss

The Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Mr Babatunde Fowler has said that the National Joint Tax Board will adopt the blueprint of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service.

Fowler disclosed this at the opening of the 137th Joint Tax Board meeting yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Monday.

He noted that the decision to adopt KWIRS blueprint of changing the people, process and technology for tax collection and management was premised on the success the State has recorded in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) that has been boosted by over 100 per cent increments since revenue body took charge of the revenue collection.

The FIRS boss expressed optimism that other states will record the same success if the Kwara blueprint is followed thoroughly.

Besides, he commended the state government for judiciously using the revenue generated to increase the standard of living of the people through provision of infrastructure.

Fowler therefore, charged the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to advocate the adoption of Kwara State model of granting autonomy to its revenue service by other state governors.

While declaring open the meeting, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed noted that tax authorities across the country can benefit tremendously from synergy and cross-pollination of ideas.

Alhaji Ahmed stated that while the ongoing recession has restricted the ability of government at all levels to meet all obligations, the state’s tax-funded Infrastructure Development Fund, IFK, is helping it fund high-value projects.

He, therefore, appealed to all to join hands with the government in improving the revenue profile of the state. Governor Ahmed noted that tax payment is a civic responsibility and stressed that government cannot provide the required infrastructure without tax revenue.