_Ondo IGR Growth_ : The need to protect the stride - NTRO
The National Tax Research Organisation (NTRO) has reiterated its interest to collaborate with Ondo State Internal Revenue (ODIRS) to ensure that set revenue target for the year 2024 in the state is achieved.
The Ondo State Coordinator of the organization, Mr. Nasiru Bakare noted that the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service has been working assiduously to meet the set annual revenue target having watched closely the activities of the Executive Chairman, Dr. Tolu Adegbie since his appointment in 2018 who has displayed core professional with over 25 years banking experience.
Bakare who made the intent of his organization known during its annual Tax Awareness program in Akure recently, lauded the ODIRS boss for his remarkable achievements in the tax arena in the state.
He said: “In our research, we discovered that the state IGR in 2016 was N8.06 billion and grew to N10.07 billion in 2017. But since Adegbie came on board in 2018, Ondo State IGR has increased tremendously; the IGR became N24.8billion in 2018 against its expected revenue of N20.9billion. In 2019, ODIRS generated N30.1B against its expected Revenue of N29.3B in the 2019 budget.
“Despite Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world, ODIRS generated N24.9B out of its revised expected Revenue of N24M in the 2020 revised budget. In 2021, it generated N30.8billion against its expected N28.7billion. Also in 2022, ODIRS generated N32.3.8billion over its revenue target of N30.9billion and 2023, ODIRS made N40.1billion to the State coffers well above its N32billion annual targets. This is indeed commendable, he maintained.
“The Tax Guru has given the state internal revenue service a great facelift and adopted global standard taxation and tax operations to enable seamless transactions between his staffers and the tax paying public.
“Some of his remarkable achievements since he came on board, to mention but few, include the world class Revenue House which is a one-stop-shop with two banks for ease of Tax Payer transactions and faster service.
“He has so far built five new modern tax stations in Ose, Ese Odo, Ile-Oluji, Ondo Local Government Areas of Ondo State while some are under construction. He has organized over 30 local & international trainings for the staff of his agency in their various area of expertise since its flag-off in 2021.
“Since his assumption to office, he has recruited over 600 young graduates to join the ODIRS workforce as approved by the state government, in order to boost productivity and provide effective and efficient service to the tax paying public.
“All these are visibly the testaments of his good works which are channelled to boost the IGR for the betterment of lives of the people in the state. And this is why we are interested in working with him’, Bakare reiterated.”
He said that the progressive achievements recorded by the tax icon have endeared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to have appointed him as a member of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee in 2023, and therefore called on the State Government to protect this revenue growth and be weary of mischief makers whose main intention is looting.
Reacting, the Head, Corporate Services, Mr. Bunmi Omotoye pointed out that the ODIRS boss is an exemplary leader. “As a leader by example, the ODIRS boss has always demonstrated hardwork, commitment, responsiveness and great sense of responsibility. He works relentlessly with his members of staff as a team and always attributes success achieved to the collective efforts of his team members.
“In acknowledgement of his staffers' efforts towards efficient service delivery which translate to successes recorded so far, Adegbie usually honours outstanding staff members with award of excellence and priorities their welfare.
“As a technocrat, Adegbie remains focused on his duties and dedicated to what he knows how to do best and do not involve himself in any politicking which could distract him from his set goals. His office is statutory and tenured and as such cannot be manipulated or dragged by some unscrupulous political elements.
“The operations of tax and taxation in the state has been digitized and run exclusively through the state government dedicated account into which the tax payers make their payments accordingly, he added.”
He equally noted that it is impossible for anyone to divert government revenue under Adegbie’s watch since every transaction flows through government revenue collection platforms to government coffers.
“Again, Adegbie does not have any plans or arrangement to sponsor any gubernatorial aspirant or anyone aspiring whatever political office. His target remains boosting the IGR for the overall development of the state and he handles that professionally according to best tax practices.
“Therefore, his loyalty as well as his total commitment is to the Ondo State Government in ensuring that the tax paying public exercises its civic responsibility and enjoys dividends of democracy”, he reiterated.
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