By Kingsley Abavo
Edo State government now relies heavily on revenue earnings from taxation as a measure to cushion the adverse effects of continued fall in revenues from the Federation Allocation due to plummeting global oil price.
Tax revenue drive is something the Oshiomhole administration is pursuing aggressively as a policy,
though surprisingly, out of the about four million residents in the State, only 170,000 are tax payers.
Edo Internal Revenue Service [EIRS] Chairman, Useni Elama made the disclosure recently at the second edition of ‘Round Table with Friends in the Media’ colloquium organized by the Executive Director, Media to the Governor, John Mayaki.
In the event , which had media executives and journalists on different news platforms in attendance, achievements and policies of the Oshiomhole administration which cut across sectors, were highlighted with misconceptions, explained and corrected by players in the government.
Elama, who spoke on the topic, Beyond Crude Oil and Federal Allocation through his representative, a member of the State’s Internal Revenue Service Board, Barr. Emmanuel Uso asserted that following the positive re – jigging of the revenue collection process by the State government,
Edo now ranks fourth among States in IGR drive in Nigeria after Lagos, Rivers, and Delta States.
“From the little effort that we put in, Edo now generates on the average between N1.5 and N1.7b monthly IGR. That is why it ranks amongst the States that are said to be economically viable in Nigeria because it can meet not just its obligation to contractors but also its obligation to workers.
“We have been very transparent as a government, and also exercise the political will to enforce Personal Income Tax Act and every other revenue laws.
“The governor, comrade Aliyu Oshiomhole has never interfered in the issue of revenue generation even the proceeds, in Edo.”
Elama assured that the agency was poised to build on its achievements thus far and create a lasting legacy that will put Edo on a pedestal that will make it survive without oil.
“Hence in its drive for revenue generation, there is no sacred cow,” he declared, disclosing that at least two managing directors of two front line banks in Nigeria and some very senior lawyers are facing criminal charges in the State for offending the revenue law.
In the same vein, commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Abdul Oroh talked about the sector and the State’s fair share and policy direction.
Oroh said contrary to insinuation in some quarters that Edo is mainly a civil service state, about 61 percent of the people are engaged in the agriculture sector just as three power projects have been completed and ready to be activated, asserting that the State is potentially great in the energy sector.
All the three projects when completed would generate about 450mw which could expand at some point to about 1,000mw, he stated, projecting that in five to 10years time, Edo would be capable of generating about 5,000mw if the energy sector is properly structured.
Further, the former agriculture commissioner disclosed that the Ukpilla Cement Factory, one of the oldest in Nigeria after a long period of closure is again producing.
The old stream was reactivated and the new stream completed with the injection of about $500m investment under the governor Oshiomhole’s administration, he asserted.
On the State’s policy direction, he stated; “we are not going to be involved again in building industries, but we will work with the private sector.”
This is as he disclosed that in Benin alone, there exist about 14,000 business premises which in projection ought to be fetching the State about N7m annually and that effort was being made to bring Edo – North and Central into the tax net. Oroh assured that Edo is viable as its future is bright for industrialization.
Earlier, Mayaki stated that the ‘Round Table with Friends in the Media’ in its second edition, was designed as a feedback mechanism to clarify hazy policies of government in the public domain while raising other issues that can move the State into a brighter future.
But surprisingly, barely three days after the much applauded event by stakeholders, news filtered into town that Mayaki has resigned his appointment which was made by the governor just about a month ago.
He had been Special Senior Assistant, media to governor Oshiomhole in the past seven years before he was elevated recently. When contacted on phone, he confirmed the news saying;” I am no more in government. I have resigned.” But he would not disclose what prompted the action even when pressed for comments.
Osarumwense Okunmwendia liked this on Facebook.