Of 2m people, only 100,000 pay tax— Revenue board boss

By Gbenga Olarinoye

OSOGBO—Following the inability of the Osun State government to pay workers salaries as a result of the dwindling revenue from the federation account, the state chapter of Parents Teachers Association, PTA, of Nigeria has expressed its readiness to assist the government in the enforcement of the payment of N1,500 tax bonanza introduced to boost its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

The decision to assist in tax enforcement was conveyed to the state government at a meeting held with the State Internal Revenue Board, led by its Chairman, Mr. Dayo Oyebanji.

At the meeting, attended by PTA Chairmen from across the 30 local government councils of the state, it was agreed also that the N1,500 tax bonanza for year 2013, 2014 and 2015, totalling N4,500 would be paid at once to bail out the state from the current financial predicament.

The state government owe four months workers’ salaries as a result of dwindling revenue from the federation allocation.

Aregbosola

The Chairman of the association, Mr. Demola Ekundayo, said the decision to assist the government in its collection was part of the association’s resolve to contribute to the development of the state, especially regarding the public primary and secondary schools.

He explained that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has been using the tax for the development of the state, saying “this is why parents have deemed it fit to complement his efforts in moving the state forward.”

Ekundayo, who lauded the developmental programmes embarked upon by Aregbesola’s administration, especially in the education sector, however, appealed to government not to relent in providing qualitative education to the students as promised in his six-point integral action plan.

Mr. Oyabanji, on his part, expressed happiness with PTA’s support, promising that government would not relent in ensuring good standard of living and better education for the pupils.

He noted that government introduced tax bonanza to make its payment affordable and serve as relief, adding that at the expiration of the bonanza period, each parent would be paying according to their earnings as stipulated by the tax law.

Oyebanji lamented that out of two million tax payers in the state, less than 100,000 including the public servants, are actually paying their taxes as at when due.

He noted that there was no way government could provide all the needed infrastructure amenities to the people when majority are evading taxes.

The Chairman, Labour Committee on Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, Mr. Francis Adetunji, called on residents of the state to cooperate with the government, adding that the tax reduction was a good gesture that must be embraced by all.

A member of the IRS board, Prince Omolade Binuyo, said Osun will be a changed place if everybody paid their taxes.