Benefits of Kwara’s revenue generation drive, by Segun Bambo Ojomo

With the establishment of a new revenue generation service by the Kwara State government under Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, the stage is now set for proper accountability and regulation of taxation in line with the recent Federal Government directive that states should become less dependent on the central government by embarking on steps to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Prior to the advent of the present dispensation under General Muhammadu Buhari, many states had their monthly statutory allocations reduced by high percentages which made them unable to meet their responsibilities, including payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities as well as resumption and completion of development projects.
Realising that the state’s former revenue generating system was inefficient in handling taxes due to inadequate ability to collect and manage its resources, the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service was recently established by law to ensure compliance and block leakages occasioned by malfunctioning.
It is heartening that the state government intends to strictly adhere to committing the accrued gains of the taxation reforms to generating funds for new development projects, stimulating the economy and creating jobs to fill the gaps created by dwindling federal allocations to the state.
The new projects to be embarked upon by the state using IGR proceeds include construction and rehabilitation of rural, urban and federal roads across the state; new secondary schools’ classrooms and new campuses for the Kwara State University; establishment of new general hospitals and water projects in Malete, Okuta and Oyun as well as the Independent Power Project, among others.
It is also impressive that the state government has promised to ensure that local contractors and artisans are fully employed in the various development projects in order to enhance well being for the state’s resource-poor persons.
The government also owes it a duty not to renege on its promise that the new revenue generation system would not impose new and undue taxes on the people, in view of accellerating IGR.
*Ojomo is a Media Communication Specialist.