Politics
THE Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), on Tuesday held a stakeholder engagement meeting, harping on simplified tax payment process with the new ‘Pay Kaduna portal’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the portal was launched by Gov. Uba Sani in
May to provide a viable means of payment of taxes and revenue through a seamless process.
NAN recalls that Sani, represented by his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, emphasised the need for all the stakeholders and citizens of the state to pay their taxes through channels provided by KADIRS.
Speaking at the meeting in Zaria, the Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Jerry Adams, said the essence of the engagement was to educate the stakeholders on what the agency was doing and to get feedback on their plights.
Adams, represented by KADIRS Board Secretary and Executive Director, Legal Services, Aisha Ahmad, said that the service has a dual relationship with the government and various MDAs in the state.
“We do the collection of tax on behalf of all the revenue generation MDAs then remit it back to the government,”he said.
Jerry, therefore, said the essence of the engagement was to make sure the stakeholders and citizens know the importance of tax payment which benefits them and the state in general.
He equally said that the engagement was to rub minds on how the agency could improve revenue collection and service delivery to the citizens in terms of taxation.
“We want the people to begin to understand the reasons for voluntary compliance of paying tax.
”Without such engagement, people will be left in the dark,”he said
He said the portal has made it easier for taxpayers to get information about how they can pay any tax to the state.
Also, the Executive Director, Standards and Compliance of the KADIRS, Ali Gora, said the engagement was special/
He said, ”This is because prior to its introduction there were multiple platforms that provided services for various tax payers.
“Now, we have been able to consolidate everything under the Pay Kaduna Portal where all the tax payers can pay all taxes.
”This implies that it is much easier, cheaper and faster for people to access our services and make payments to the state.”
Gora urged the citizens to pay their taxes voluntarily and desist from tax evasion, stressing that tax evasion and non compliance affects the revenue line.
One of the stakeholders, Abubakar Muhammad, the Zonal Commander of Kaduna State Traffic And Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA), Zaria, commended KADIRS for simplifying tax payment through the portal.
He emphasised the importance of tax compliance in funding public services and infrastructure, while encouraging the citizens to utilise the portal, promoting voluntary tax payment and reducing evasion.
Muhammad urged the public to always abide by road traffic regulations and keep their vehicle documents up-to-date.
Also, Prof. Luka Mailafiya, Chairman of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Zaria branch, said that tax awareness was crucial.
He encouraged the citizens to leverage the portal for seamless tax payments and promote economic growth.
Maolafiya applauded KADIRS’ efforts in promoting tax awareness and simplifying payment processes.
Mailafiya said the portal demonstrated KADIRS commitment to leveraging technology for efficient revenue collection.
As professional accountants, the chairman said, they recognised the critical role taxation plays in socio-economic development.
He, therefore, pledged ANAN’s support for KADIRS’ initiatives.
NAN reports that the stakeholders in the meeting included officials of FRSC, Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) and the Association of Private Schools, among others.(NAN)
A.I
Oct. 30, 2024
Tags: Abubakar Muhammad Ali Gora Hadiza Balarabe KADIRS Mr Jerry Adams Prof. Luka Mailafiya
