The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has called for autonomy of State Boards of Internal Revenue Service for robust revenue generation across the country.
CITN President, Ms Gladys Simplice, made the call on Wednesday at a training for revenue officers from selected states by the institute in collaboration with Access Bank in Abuja.
Simplice said the board of internal revenue must be independent to enhance effective and efficient tax collections in the states.
She appealed to the governors to make such boards to be autonomous in terms of financial obligations and administration.
She explained that for such places to be administratively independent, the state government should allow professionals to work in the board of internal revenue services.
According to her, the boards should be given financial autonomy in terms of cost of collection so they could train personnel and improve their facilities.
Simplice lauded Access Bank for keying into the project aimed at building capacities of revenue officers to boost revenue generation in the country.
She expressed concern on the increased challenge to fund development of infrastructure and other services that would assist investment in productive sectors of the economy.
She said it was now necessary to review the cocktail of strategies available and adopt the right mix as peculiar to the prevailing social economic realities of the respective states.
The Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Mr Herbert Wigwe, said the bank’s collaboration with CITN to train revenue officers was deliberate.
He said this was because of the importance of taxation in achieving diversification of economy.
Represented by Mr Nsikak Usoro, Group Head of commercial bank, Wigwe said the bank was ready to partner with states to boost its revenue generation.
According to him, any state that cannot generate revenue, such state cannot have sustainable future.
He urged revenue officers in respective states to block leakages with a view to maximise tax collection.
Revenue officers from Kano, Taraba, Yobe and Kogi states participated in the training.
The training was entitled “integrated strategies in boosting states revenue generation”.
