From Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) on Wednesday said it is targeting a total of N21.6 billion as its Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) for the 2021 fiscal year.
The PSIRS also said the has adopted a strategy called “Explosive Revenue Drive 2021”.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the agency, Mr Dashe Arlat, while briefing journalists in Jos, the State Capital.
Arlat added that this would involve massive taxpayers registration, increased revenue assessment, Tax payer representatives approach, collecting agent and revenue agent registration among others.
According to him, “With the challenge posed with the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented drop of oil prices that had resulted in drop in statutory revenue allocation to the state.
He maintained that, “There is an urgent need for government and citizens to brace up and confront the present realities of hash economic climate that will enable them look inwards and take advantage of any activity that is income yielding to ensure that revenues are enhanced and collected amidst the pandemic to keep the wheels of government turning in order to meet the needs of the people
“The 2021 strategies and policy direction of the service will be in pursuant to section 40 of the Plateau state consolidation law 2020 .So far, over 500,000 tax payers have been captured by the Service but more are going to be captured this year.
“And With 4.39 million population in Plateau state with a projection of 1.56 million taxable adults ,we are hopeful that we will meet the IGR target of N 21.6bn for the year 2021”
He urged the people to cooperate with the agency to enable it meet it’s obligations while assuring them that a post pandemic strategy must be developed and deployed to ensure business activities resume seamlessly in the state after the pandemic has abated.
