By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – Citizens of Plateau State have been urged to continue to support the government and pay their taxes to enable the government to deliver good governance to them.

The Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service, PSIRS, Jim Wayas, gave the charge on Friday, saying some of the public services and infrastructure provided by Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration are from the internally generated revenue, which for the first time surpassed N30bn in the last year.

Wayas, who spoke with journalists in his office in Jos, noted that the State collected the sum of N31,139,826,680.23 as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) at the close of business in 2024 and is expected to collect nothing less than N52bn in 2025.

He stressed that the State IGR has improved in the last three years although many of the sources of revenue are left untapped but a constructive collaboration with all stakeholders including the local government areas, and others would ensure the target for 2025 is realized especially as the federal allocation has dwindled due to debts the State incurred over the years.

The Chairman also pointed out the need for transparency and accountability and assured that the Service is very transparent in its operations, calling on citizens to ask questions whenever they are in doubt.

He said, “When this administration came on board in 2023, I joined halfway, and a lot has happened since then. In 2022, the total revenue generated was N15.9 billion. By the end of 2023, we were able to increase it to N25.8 billion. However, as of the close of business last year, we recorded N31.14 billion in revenue. This was the first time Plateau State exceeded the N30 billion benchmark in revenue generation.

“We needed to start 2025 on a strong note, as the State government has set a total revenue target of N52 billion for the year. We began 2025 on solid footing. In January, we collected about N3.3 billion, one of the highest amounts ever collected in a single month. Compared to last year, when we generated about N1.6 billion in January, this represents a significant improvement in revenue generation.

“Many people are asking about the revenue being generated internally and questioning what is coming from the federal allocation. The truth is that federal allocation to the State has been declining, mainly due to debts incurred in previous years. Most of these debts are foreign, and at the time they were taken, the exchange rate was around N440 to $1. Today, the exchange rate has fluctuated, sometimes reaching as high as N2,000 to $1.

“Even as of yesterday, it was about N1,500. This has severely affected the State’s subsidy allocation, which, for the past six months, has been in the negative. While federal figures may indicate that the State receives billions, by the time deductions are made, what reaches the State’s coffers is significantly lower. The entire revenue system is undergoing transformation, and we are identifying untapped revenue sources.”

He further stressed, “Citizens must pay their taxes, and in return, the government must be held accountable to do the right things, provide infrastructure, ensure security, and create an environment where businesses can thrive.”