By Muhammad Mukhtar Idris/ Dada Ahmed.
Alhaji Sule Salihu Ehene, Acting Executive Chairman, KGIRS.
The steadily growing internally generated revenue between March and April 2022 is not far-fetched; from being the result of the decided actions of the current helmsman and his able lieutenants in effectively sailing the ship of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service(KGIRS) with the desired result.
It all revolves around the glaring truth in the clarity of the difference it makes when an insider like Alhaji Enehe, an accomplished chattered account is at the helm of any viable and sensitive organization such KGIRS.
Alhaji bSule Salihu Enehe, a former Director(Audit) in Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), undauntedly has proven to be a round peg in a round hole by virtue of his exemplary performance and his enviable leadership style since he assumed office as the Acting Executive Chairman of the Service.
Enehe, a believer in hard work and result-oriented as well as the arrow-head of the revenue organisation, has been one who carries out his current duties with a human face thus inspiring the revenue collectors, the foot soldiers in the revenue service, having known where the shoe pinches among the workforce of the revenue house.
Apparently building on the template laid by His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, in creating conducive working environment for the staff of the organization, erected a befitting and state – of – the -art edifice as the Kogi State Revenue House. In line with the exemplary leadership of the governor, the Acting Executive Chairman of KGIRS, Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe, has prioritized Staff’s comfort to boost productivity in their various offices in the last seven months he has been holding sway as the head of the organization.
Moreso, in April 2022, the Acting Executive Chairman of the Service, in his characteristic humane leadership quality,directed the construction of flood drainage control in Lokoja I Area Tax Office, the revenue office covering one of the most economically active areas of the Lokoja metropolis.
This gesture certainly achieved the aims and objectives of this purposeful and dynamic leader, thus meeting a long standing need of the staffers and resident in the area, a further confirmation of his avowed commitment, coupled with dexterity to duty,typical of his known working attitude.
Furthermore, in the uniqueness of his work ethics, Sule Salihu Enehe, in this same month, simultaneously engendered a facelift in Kabba Area Tax Office, one of the two offices covering the western senatorial district of Kogi State, by directing the total overhauling of the ventilation system from old to new. This, in fact, was further complemented by the construction of a convenience facility in Ankpa Area Tax Office, one of the revenue offices covering the eastern district of State.
The KGIRS,in April 2022,was able to generate IGR of N1.5 Billion, a unique leap in the efforts of the organization to assist the state government generate revenue for the services that will have direct bearing to the social and economic life of the people of the state.
Descernining minds who have been following the trends in the revenue bid of KGIRS, with keen interest, gave kudos to the amiable boss of the revenue organization for the well deserved accolade for the accomplishment they described as no mean achievement.
No doubt, experts in revenue generating process are of the firm belief that by hitting this outstanding mark represents a hope and a stable platform for higher projections in the future as its sustenance signifies the delivery of new increases in revenue and ensuring effective state government infrastructural development and maximum dividends of democracy to the people.
But what is it that Sule Salihu Enehe is doing differently that stands him out in the history of KGIRS, if we may ask. Looking at his pragmatic working nature, one may want to connect the dots of the successes recorded so far to his capability, hardworking and unshakable commitment to the cause of having a strong and effective revenue engine room of the state government and for the maximum benefit of the organization and the highly dedicated staff and management.
Obviously, attributing the current IGR success to his constant improvement on staff welfare will not be a bad guess as the contribution of the workforce of any organisation is directly proportional to the achievement of the goals of such organisation, which in this case paves ways for the recent IGR growth.
Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe,has continued to show the stuff he is made of as a level headed, committed yet exihibits leadership with human face, working even at the SCorporate headquarters of the Service,Lokoja, with constant renovation and fixing of appliances all in a bid to create a conducive working environment for the Staff of the organization to excel in the discharge of their official responsibility.
This piece aims to add to the many voices of the KGIRS Workers who have clamoured that Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe has done beyond expectation in the discharge of the responsibilities he is saddled with.
This fact becomes obvious to any analytical mind with keen interest in the services being rendered by the organization to the government and its citizens, given the short time the acting executive Chairman the mantle of leadership of KGIRS.
Therefore, feelers from KGIRS points to the fact that most staffers were of the firm belief that Sule Salihu Enehe deserves to be confirmed as the Executive Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service to spur him do more for the organization and Kogi state in general.
Besides improving the esthetic value of the offices of KGIRS, the administration of Sule Salihu Enehe,as exemplified by great leap it brought to bear on the IGR base of the state government has enhanced the effort of the Yahaha Adoza Bello-led administration to embark on more projects for the benefit of the people.
These include: ongoing construction of overhead bridge at the popular Ganaja, the first of its in the history of the state, reconstruction of Lokoja township roads, installation of street lights across the three Senatorial districts of the state to bring the essence government to closer to the people, especially at the grassroots.
The world over, the essence of good governance does not end in improving the well-being of the citizens.
Political analysts have argued, convincingly, that the process of governing or overseeing the control and direction of a country or a state must also take into cognizance,in practical terms, the need to develop the physical infrastructure of making life easy for the people with financial resources at the disposal of governnent as the basis to accomplish social contract.
Indeed, they further contend that construction of houses,roads and formulation of other people-oriented policies and programmes remain a litmost test of democratically elected government in actualising the concept of the social contract its signs with the people for a better living condition.
The current All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, led by Governor Yahaha Adoza Bello, it is on course in its revenue drive but not unmindful of its statutory responsibility and the need to use tax payers’ money for their maximum benefit.
To this end, itbhas embarked on the development of physical infrastructure of the state, a development many believe became much feasible in the governor’s second term in office.
As it were, the State Ministry of Works and Housing becomes the platform for fulfilling such an resolve as excemplified by massive reconstruction of roads by the state government, starting from Lokoja,the state capital in kogi West Senatorial district down to east and central Senatorial districts.
Cataloguing the various infrastructural programmes of the Bello-administrstion, the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry,Engr. Abubakar Ohere, noted that government had embarked on road construction in Lokoja, the state capital.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry, Mr Abah Benjamin Eneojo,the effort is in fulfilment of Governor Bello’s Second Term Promise to Impact on infrastructure development of the area.
Ohere, who made the disclosure during a routine visit to the ongoing road infrastructure in Lokoja and other ongoing infrastructure development in the State Capital,few months ago,named such works to include the road construction work from the Maigari Palace,through the traditional areas of Lokoja, described Governor Bello ‘as a leader with rare credentials of a true Leader, committed to the welfare of his people”.
He disclosed that the road construction, running from the Maigari Palace to the adjoining link roads, also involved the roads from Government House to Zenith Bank Junction and expressed happiness with the pace and quality of work being done.
Abah qouted his boss as having mentioned during a recent inspection of ongoing work at the Ganaja Flyover Bridge, nearing completion, that Governor Bello had promised to speed up work on the Lokoja township roads, to enhance movement of people and easy t ransportation of goods, adding that the ongoing embarkment along the bank of the River Niger in Kabawa was aimed at controlling the incessant flooding affecting Lokoja.
Other sites where physical developmnt is feasible, according to the Commissioner, include:GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo, the Lokoja Civic Centre, Lokoja street lights, pointing out that the beautification work on the street median is equally in progress.
The main gate to the newly established Kogi State-owned Confluence University of Science And Technology, Osara.
Other projects inspected by Engr. Ohere include: the Desilting of drainage at NTA – Kogi cycle road, NTA – Post Office – Ministry of Works road, Cementary -Hydro junction road, Wallace – Maigeri – Old Central Mosque road
And Stella Obasanjo – Government House road and failed section of roads with asphalt overlay of interior road networks within the state capital.
The Commissioner also revealed that the state government had long commenced work on 54 -kilometre road on Idah -Ajaka- umomi- Ejule -Anyigba road to ensure seamless transportation of people and goods across the length and breath of East Senatorial district as well as construction of ultra-modern GYB Model Science Secondary school at Ajiolo in Dekina Local Government Area.
Besides,he said government had also started the construction of Ultra-modern Teaching Hospital Complex at Prince Abunakar University Anyigba, the complete construction of Ankpa Township road and that of Ankpa – Abejukolo road as well as the facilitation of the New Map project At Ogugu in Olamaboro Local GovernmentArea and Ogane-aji in Dekina Local Government Area, East Senatorial district of the state.
” There is ongoing construction of Central Reference Hospital, Okene,ongoing construction of Okene Township roads,Police Squdron unit with Quarters at Oro in okene, ongoing renovation of GSS Oboroke in Ihima.
Establishment of Confluence University of Science and Technology at Osara and the facilitation of Newmap intervention programme in Agasa, Okene in the Central Senatorial district.
On West Senatorial district, Ohere confirmed the ongoing construction of General Hospital in Isanlu, construction of Kabba Township roads, Provision of street light in kabba and the modelling of Kogi state specialist Hospital lokoja in West Senatorial district among other projects.
The KGIRS management believe that the construction of all these projects were made possible by the state government efforts in channeling tax payers’money into judicious use and ensure dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
Muhammad Mukhtar Idris is the Head, Corporate Communication,KGIRS while Dada Ahmed is a media consultant.
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