From Teryima Ajijah, Jos
Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), Mr. Arlat Dashe, has told journalists that PSIRS has surpassed it revenue projections of 16 billion naira.
Mr. Arlat said PSIRS was given the target of 16 billion naira revenue generation in the 2020 budget, but has gotten additional 530 million naira added to the initial target set by Plateau State government.
The PSIRS boss made the disclosure while presenting third quarter financial performance report for year 2020, at a press conference in Jos. “As a service, PSIRS devised its strategies and poised itself to meet and even surpass it’s 2020 target of 16 billion.”
He said PSIRS has adopted aggressive tax audit of organizations as a means of arresting those who evade taxes and realized 3.8 billion naira.
“Between January and March 2020 alone, the service embarked on aggressive tax audit and investigation of all organizations in and outside Plateau State, recording a remarkable recovery of 3.8 billion from Ministries, Departments and Agencies alone.”
The board has compiled lists of tax defaulters and those that are eligible to start paying taxes across the entire state. “Defaulters across the entire state will add up to the already existing list. The service has to make an updated database of all taxable individuals and organizations in the state.”
According to the financial report, in the second quarter of the year, PSIRS realized the sum of 2 billion naira only as against 7 billion from each of quarters due to outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
He debunked allegations of double taxation by the service; saying the board has worked out modalities with local government councils to avoid multiple taxation, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed incomes of most businesses and urging citizens to develop new strategies for revenue generation.
“There is an urgent need for government and citizens to brace up and confront the present realities of a harsh economic climate that now confront us.”
Mr. Arlat however disclosed that there was 50 percent reduction in taxes for small scale businesses due to protracted civil unrest in Plateau State.
