A new Joint State Revenue Committee, JSRC, charged with the responsibility of overseeing the smooth running of revenue in Oyo State was on Wednesday Inaugurated by the Oyo State government.
Speaking at the inauguration of the JSRC, the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Internal Revenue Service, OSIRS, Mr. Adebowale Olufemi Awakan, explained that the need to ensure that the state revenue service anc the local government councils are on the same page on revenue collection have rise to the inauguration of the committee. He added that it was also ensure that the people of the state do not encounter pressure in paying taxes and other levies.
Awakan said, “Convenience of payment is one of the canon of taxation, so, every taxpayer should pay as at when due in a way that will not exact any pressure on them.”
Stating that the committee will sensitize and give the appointed consultants the necessary guidelines and assistance in the discharge of their duty, the OSIRS boss added, “This committee is a platform for interaction among the operational arms of the revenue administration in the state. Consultants should therefore be mindful of the need to relate and cooperate with their principals and other stakeholders.
“The support of the management of OYSIRS, the executive chairmen of our various local government councils and that of the headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, would inevitably be needed in the execution of resolution.
“The revenue collected by the Federal Government is different from that of the state government and state revenue is different from local governments’. We don’t want multiplicity of taxes; and His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has directed that the tax rate should not be increased to avoid pressure on the people, but rather the tax net should be enlarged for revenue increment.
‘’The statutory assignment of the committee is to implement the decision of the Joint Tax Board, JTB; advice the JTB, the state and the local government councils on revenue matters; harmonize tax administration in the state; enlighten members of the public generally on state and local government revenue matters and carry out other functions as may be assigned to it by the JTB.
“Moreover, the Joint Revenue Committee will extend its tentacles to all areas where revenue is expected to be generated, so that the government will have enough to fund its projects and other assignments.
“On that note, I hereby pronounce the Joint State Revenue Committee inaugurated.’’
Headed by the OSIRS chairman, the newly-inaugurated committee comprises the chairman of each local government revenue committee. Other members of the committee include: a representative of the Bureau on Local Government Affair, not below the rank of director; a representative of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, as an observer; the Legal Adviser to the state Internal Revenue Service, and the Secretary to the Committee who shall be a staff of the State Internal Revenue Service.
In attendance at the inauguration, which took place at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Finance, State Secretariat, Ibadan, were some local government Chairmen, the state Sector Commander, FRSC, Corp Commander Uche Chukwura, and her entourage, OYSIRS directors, a representative from the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Omoyiwola Ajala, and representatives from local governments.
