Plateau State gets N2.06bn as IGR

Simon Lalong, Plateau State Governor

The Plateau Government on Tuesday said it generated N2.06 billion as revenue in the first quarter of the year.

Mr Dashe Arlat, the Acting Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Jos.

Arlat described the revenue collected within the period as “very encouraging’’ compared with the N1.84 billion realised in the corresponding period in 2015.

“From the amount so far realised this first quarter of the year, it is glaring that we have improved with our revenue generation having surpassed that of last year with N219, 506, 232.

“In fact, by what we just realised, it is a clear indication that we shall definitely meet our target of N13 billion for this year; this is because we have not yet included our arrears of tax liabilities of about N5 billion,” he said.

Analysing the collection for the period under review, the chairman disclosed that the amount generated was made up of N350, 720, 319 PAYE; N982, 889, 890 direct payment and N711,783,427 remittance.

“From what we have generated so far, it is a proof that we are doing better in spite of the economic down turn in the country.

“We have heard from some quarters that we are on the lower side in our collections, but this feat will silence our detractors and equally encourage my staff to do more,” he stated.

Arlat attributed the boost in the revenue collection to the adoption of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system which the state keyed into at the beginning of the year as directed by the Federal Government.

He said that PSIRS had high expectation from the MDAs which are supposed to generate more than the service considering the vast opportunities opened to them.

“We are trying to harmonise our collections and synergise with the local governments, whose revenue collections have not been captured in the data for the period under review,” the PSIRS chairman said.

Arlat said that the government was looking at the possibility of Non Tax Revenue, especially from services being rendered.

He listed some of the services to include water supply as well as registration of business premises, hotels, schools, land documentation and building plans to boost the revenue.

“It is our belief that harmonisation will take us somewhere if only we pursue it with vigour towards generation of substantial revenue that will put the state government on an advantage in providing social amenities to the citizens.

“The harmonisation will also help us by blocking all leakages and channeling them into our coffers as could be seen by our IGR in the first quarter.

“Governance is all about service to the people and this APC administration is doing its best towards that; providing the citizens with the dividends of democracy,” the chairman said.

Arlat appealed to tax payers not to relent in meeting up with their obligations so as not to fall into the hands and wrath of the authorities, “which are out to prosecute defaulters.”