ADDRESS BY SIR MONDAY JOHN ONYEME, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN DELTA STATE BOARD OF INTERNAL REVENUE TO MEMBERS OF SENIOR COURSE 38 OF THE ARMED FORCES COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE, JAJI ON THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2016.
PROTOCOL:
Hosting the cream of the future leaders of the Nigerian Military from the famous tri-service Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, is a rare privilege and opportunity any day and for me, the very first of its kind. On this note and on behalf of the Board, management and staff of my board, permit me to welcome you to our headquarters, Revenue House. We count it a great honour to be counted worthy of this august visit inspite so many other equally important and strategic destinations.
The Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR) is the alternative or standby life line of the Delta State Government, providing additional or support income to the State Government, especially in critical times such as we are in. With steadily declining oil prices and consequent dwindling federal allocations, my board provides the economic survival platform through the generation of Revenue from taxes and other internal sources.
The Board is a five member Board made up of the Executive Chairman (my humble self), the Secretary to the Board and a member representing each of our senatorial zones of Delta North, Delta Central and Delta South. We also have external members who represent the ministries of finance, economic planning, justice and the office of the Accountant-General. Internally, we have the Directorates of Operations, Finance and Accounts, Administration, Corporate Development, Enforcement and Compliance and Other Revenues, each of which is headed by a director. A new directorate – Media and Publicity is in the works and will start operating in the not too distant future.
Our operations are essentially field based, headed in each senatorial zone by a Resident Controller – RC, under whom are the Area Tax Controllers (ATC’s) and other categories of staff. We operate from all the Local Government Areas of the State with a staff strength of about 1250. Our tax base stands at 1,700 businesses/organizations with a standby 3,500 to be injected into the tax system in the next few months.
No doubt, the task of Revenue Generation through taxes, charges, rates, levies, etc., can only be carried out in a secure and stable environment. Like many other states, Delta has had its fair share of insecurity and tempestuous environment and this has posed a serious challenge to our operations. Youth restiveness, vandalisation of oil pipelines, crude oil theft and other vices have posed the greatest danger to our efforts to provide the state with an economic life support system through alternative revenue sources. Our worry about events in the oil industry is based on the fact that the oil companies are our biggest tax payers.
Moving forward, we recognize and appreciate your efforts to ensure a calm and stable environment that is conducive for our tax collection activities. Through your Operations Restore Hope and Pulo Shield, you have significantly contributed to the enthronement of the much desired conducive and enabling environment for our activities. We are therefore strategic partners with a symbiotic relationship. You create and sustain the enabling environment for us to generate the revenue that pays your salaries and guarantees your welfare. Like the proverbial lizard that falls from the tall Iroko tree, we should applaud ourselves if no one does so.
Even as we applaud the much that has been done to make our work possible and easy, much more remains to be done, especially in view of recent developments. With oil facilities still being attacked and crude theft unabated, your support has become more critical than ever before. We urge you to give this task your all, as that is the key to our collective survival. In making this appeal, I am not oblivious of your current status as students of the Armed Forces of the Command and Staff College, but I am motivated by the realization that in the very near future, you will graduate and will be posted to various command posts and positions of responsibility around the country. I see amongst you Service Chiefs and top level commanders who will shape the future of the Nigerian military. We must therefore continue to partner and strengthen the bond of friendship between us.
Since your return to your constitutional role after your adventure in power, you have done exceptionally well in defending the Nation’s territorial integrity and ensuring internal security. I specially commend your efforts in the North East and such other hot spots across the country. Equally, worth commending are your legendary exploits in your various peace keeping and enforcement efforts in the various conflict theatres dotting the globe. From Congo to Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Sudan, etc. to mention but a few, you have contributed very handsomely to Global peace and stability even at huge human cost. We cannot thank you enough for this. What remains is for the Nigerian State to learn to harness and harvest the economic advantages and opportunities that such military campaigns normally throw up.
Training which this tour is an integral part of is very crucial in the life of the Military. I urge you to take your training very seriously and make the best of it. Given the level of commitment you have exhibited over the years, a well trained and equipped Nigerian Military will easily rank among the best in the world. The Nigerian Military must be in a combat ready state even in peace times.
Finally, and on a very serious note, the Nigerian Military must remain united, focused and fiercely loyal to the Nigerian State. You must shun all divisive tendencies and the cleavages in the Nigerian Society. In all your actions, you must be professional and patriotic. A divided military will surely spell doom for all of us. We cannot afford this. You therefore must be Nigerians at all times.
Surely, you will relish the experience of this tour as it will enrich you personally and professionally. For those of you who will be posted to Delta State, we will be too willing host you once again, to share experiences and to collaborate on areas of mutual interest. Have a pleasant tour and safe trip back to Jaji.
Thank you.