Actualizing Gov. Okowa's SMART agenda is DBIR's major priority - Onyeme

Unlike most states , the Delta State Government relies on its internally generated revenue to meet its obligation to its citizens and residents. The development did not come as a magic, neither was it attain on a platter of gold. The turnaround in the revenue collection profile of the state is a result of concerted effort by successive governments including the present administration under the leadership of Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa especially the state board of internal revenue headed by accomplished accounting guru, taxation expert and a renowned technocrat Sir Monday John Onyeme.
The state government despite the economic downturn is striving to actualize its dream of making Delta a mega state and ushering Prosperity to all Deltans. It is also poised to live up to its responsibility of providing infrastructure, such as good roads network, durable drainage system, potable water, free education and quality healthcare system needed by its ever growing population.
Though, the people expectations are very high even with the protracted economic downturn; a task Monday Onyeme said is achievable. He has taken the challenge of increasing the internally generated revenue (IRG) of the state through the adoption and implementation of various strategies, which will impact positively on the revenue generations and collection in the state.
SMART agenda is a feat Monday Onyeme averred is achievable through the adoption of certain strategies and collective effort/synergy by board and other agencies of government. In a recent and an exclusive encounter with The Grassroots Trumpet International, Chief Onyeme spoke on plans of the government to increase its revenue base to effectively transform the state, ushering in prosperity to all Deltans, x-rayed the consequences of evading tax and other sundry issues. Excerpt:
Can you briefly tell us the importance of paying tax as an individual or organization?
It is important to understand what taxes do for our society if every citizen must pay his or her taxes voluntarily. When government raises money from the taxes paid by citizens, such funds are used for the provision of infrastructures for the common good. For example, money derived from the common used for the construction of roads, building of bridges, provision of health facilities, electricity, potable water, free education. Name them.
This is why citizens are oblige by law to pay taxes. The procurement of tractors for the farmers, empowerment of our youths and other monumental achievement of this administration in less than five months are clear testimonies of what the taxpayers' money is doing or can do.
The truth of the matter is that the more taxes we pay, the more government provides basic amenities for all of us and the converse is also true, since government owes it as a duty to provide for the welfare and security of its citizens. We also owe government the duty to pay our taxes prompts. So it is huge sign of irresponsibility for a citizen of any given state to evade paying his or her taxes because it is a serious offence punishable by law every society. And we must ensure that we pay our taxes as at which due.


What are the consequences of evading tax.

Tax evasion is a crime at which leads to serious loss of revenue to the government. It includes; deliberate evasion of payment of taxes, false declaration of income for tax purposes, deliberate failure or refusal to pay tax to the government, deliberate failure or refusal to remit deducted taxes to the government by the employers, deliberate refusal to pay taxes on income/salary earned by a worker or self employed persons, deliberate refusal to deduct and pay due taxes to government, etc.
Tax evasion therefore prevents government from getting funds to fulfil some of its obligations to the citizenry. It's clear that every citizens want government to provide society with good road network, constant electricity, potable water, free education, quality healthcare, durable drainage system and bridge, to link riverine with major towns in the state. It is also true that all these cannot be provided without funds. Many citizens think government can do everything for them without their contribution to empower government in providing these facilities; the truth however is that government can only get sufficient money when everybody contribute to the common pulse of government to enable the government provides these basic necessities. The consequence for not contributing by way of paying taxes is that government cannot provide these necessities readily. In other words, government cannot effectively carry out its functions if we don’t pay our taxes. This is why the Delta State of Internal Revenue encourages voluntarily payment of taxes so that the government can provide more health centres, good public schools, bridges, to link the riverine areas of our state.

Are there laws backing your operations? If yes, how do you ensure strict compliance?

The payment of taxes in societies is backed by laws. For example, the section 24 of our Nigeria's constitution states that it shall be the duty of a citizen to declare his income honestly and pay his tax without prompting. Taxation is statutory all over the world. This means that the law are put in place to guide the collection of tax. Our constitution empowers the National Assembly to make law foe the regulation of tax in the country.
The exclusive list of our constitution stated taxes such as such custom duties, excise duties, stamp duties and taxes payable on income from companies are under federal law.
The concurrent in the same constitutions that, states are to collect taxes from income and profits of individuals including stamp duties on transaction statement of individual. It prescribe the state House of Assembly are to make laws for collection of rates, duties and fees collectable by local governments. Local governments are also empower to enact bye laws on tax administration in their jurisdiction.
Our constitution therefore grants powers to all the three tiers of governments to collect taxes. There are other laws in Nigeria regulating tax payment.
Some of these includes; the company income tax Act, the personal income tax Act, the petroleum profit Act, the capital gain Act, the stamp duties Act, the custom and excise management Act, the value added tax Act, the tax and levies approved list for collection Act 21 of 1988 etc. these laws empower the relevant tax authorities to collect tax in Nigeria. In addition, various local governments have bye-laws for the purpose of collecting taxes the fell under their jurisdiction, since some people evade paying taxes.

Lastly, what is the way forward?

The good use of tax payers' money by this administration as evidence in achievement of Governor Okowa within 5 months in office shows that the way forward for government to meet the yearnings and aspirations of majority of Deltans is for every citizens within the age of paying taxes to voluntarily pay his or her taxes as at when due as such taxes will significantly enhance the SMART agenda of the present administration. So, taxation is one of the pillars of Governor Okowa's administration with major priority of ensuring the actualization of his SMART agenda, I want to use this medium to appeal to all Deltans and other Nigerians resident here as well as corporate organizations operating in Delta State to be proactive in paying their taxes to enable the government meet the people expectations. As you know, our offices are located round the towns in the state with our officers waiting to serve you better.