TAXATION: Crucial To Development in Edo State - EIRS Boss

For a struggling economy like Nigeria, the taxation system has been described as a crucial requirement for meeting the developmental yearnings of the people, especially the down trodden.

Executive Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah gave this indication as a guest lecturer during the Law Week organised in Benin City by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch.

Chief Elamah who delivered his lecture on the topic. “Taxation in Nigeria, its Implication for Nationhood: Prospect and Challenges”, said the state EIRS was able to brave all odds to achieve its success geared towards the betterment of the people as evident across the nooks and crannies of the state.

This, he attributed to the political will demonstrated by the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

According to Elamah, since inception Nigeria’s independent, tax administration has played a vital role towards the nation’s development, with the promulgation of the Income Tax Management Act (ITMA) in 1961, which was repealed by the personal Income Tax Act, Decree 104 of 1993.

On taxation as an implication towards nation building, the EIRS boss noted that the recent unprecedented economic crisis witnessed a shift from the overdependence on the oil sector which necessitated the need for the country to seek alternative and sustainable means of revenue generation with a view to addressing the numerous socio-infrastructural challenges facing the people.

This, Chief Elamah said, as evident in Edo State, could be done through the promotion of fiscal responsibility/accountability, economic stability, wealth creation/employment and equality before the various tax laws.

He asserted that the state governor, comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s led administration is committed to running a peoples participatory, result oriented and responsive government.

He posited; “We can categorically state that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s led administration has re-positioned the internal revenue service built on professionalism, transparency , integrity and value for money to enable the government optimize its internally generated revenue for the provision of basic amenities and infrastructures.

Chief Elamah however canvassed that the revenue/tax generation should be utilized towards meeting the maximum potentials as a catalogue for nation’s building.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Benin District and Society, Dominic Eichie has described taxation as the only vital source that can emancipate a responsive and even development of any developing nation.

Eichie stated this when he led the new executive of the CITN on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Chief Oseni Elamah in Benin City.

Eichie stated that the visit was to specifically appraise the phenomenal achievements of the Executive Chairman, his support towards the CITN through the EIRS staff participation in the CITN’s activities as well as to encourage him on his good work towards the development of the state.

He noted that Chief Elamah’s quest to encouraging EIRS staff towards participating in the CITN programmes with a view to gaining tax knowledge has helped to broading the institute and the operations of the EIRS agency.

Responding, Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah who noted that tax was as old ad mankind attributed the EIRS success story to the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who provided the necessary political will.

On assumption of office, he said his administration focused on building the internal capacity with the purpose of ensuring professionalism that would ensure accountability, honesty, integrity and value for taxpayers money, he added, culminated in the establishment of the premium tax training school of the agency.

The EIRS boss stated that he has been partnering with stakeholders in the state with a view to creating the necessary tax awareness amongst them.

According to him, the filing of annual return was important, urging taxpayers to file in their returns as that would guarantee them the right on tax related matters.

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TAXATION: Crucial To Development in Edo State - EIRS Boss