By Otori Ozigi.
The importance of efficient and effective tax administration in the life of any state cannot be over- emphasized. Revenue is generated to fund the various capital projects and other overhead expenditures in the state.
Before the assumption of office of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello in 2016, the tragectory of tax administration in Kogi state was nothing to write home about.
It was an abysmal and paltry monthly performance that fell below expectations of stokeholders in the industry.
The IGR of the state under previous administrations was consistently hovering around N250millon and N300million averagely per month.
Faced with this grim situation, the government of GYB immediately took positive steps to turn around the fortunes of the then Board of Internal Revenue,for the better.
In line with this new thinking,a new bill on tax administration in the state was signed into law by the governor, that gave legal teeth to the present Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS).
The law effectively gave full financial and administrative autonomy to KGIRS in the discharge of its core mandates.
Expectedly, this marks the turning point in it’s IGR monthly performance.
Today, the good news is that the monthly IGR performance of Kogi state has been propelled on a high level of pedestal. It now stands between the neighborhood of N1.5b and N2b monthly.
This unprecedented success story did not happen over night
.It took the combined efforts of square pegs in square holes, that were carefully headhunted to run the affairs of the service in the last couple of years.
In the same vein,no fewer than 4 tax administrators were appointed to run the affairs of KGIRS, till date.
Little wonder therefore that ,the service has a long history of high performance under the administration of GYB.
The current Executive Chairman, Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe ,has maintained the culture of high tempo of performance and even surpassed the N23b target set for 2023.
It recorded over N18b IGR in 2022.
Viewed against this background therefore, it is safe to conclude that the administration of GYB is leaving beyind a legacy of unprecedented success story in tax administration in the state.
He has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that, there is a way,if there is a will.
Better days are ahead for optimal performance of tax administration in Kogi state,under the incoming government of Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman,a man who is very much at home with tax matters,as an Accountant.
Kogi state is working.
