By Ukandi Odey
Jos
Plateau state Inland Revenue Service yesterday held a forum to engage stakeholders on taxation and tax performance amidst prevalent economic realities.With the theme “enhanced revenue generation for effective economic development and prosperity,” the event witnessed huge response from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including college students.
In a welcome address at the occasion, Plateau state commissioner for finance, Tamwakat Gofwen Weli, said “this engagement has become imperative because, apart from being a timely step in the right direction, it is a survival necessity for our Rescue Administration, and the pillar upon which our mandate and the five-point agenda are anchored.”
According to the commissioner, if the present administration is to deliver in its mandate in spite of “declining resources and fortunes of state, and the drastic and continued fall in oil revenue, vis-a-vis the low level of internally generated revenue, we as a state must directly and diligently do something concrete to arrest the situation and the challenges before us.”
In his own address at the occasion, chairman of the State Inland Revenue Service, Dashe Arlat Dasogot corroborated to the effect that “this year’s Roundtable is coming at a time the fortunes of our oil-dependent economy as a country has taken regrettable nosedive”.
He also noted that “concerted efforts are being made by both the federal and state governments, as ell as by various players in the national economy to take a fresh look at our inward capacities (for) a
sustainable diversification of the economy to take centre stage.”
In a good will message to the event, the executive chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Tunde Fowler, said “it is important to stress that this event is very apt as it will provide an opportunity for the stakeholders to extensively discuss ways and means of looking inwards towards improving the state internally generated revenue base.”