The  Executive Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, (KW-IRS), Shade Omoniyi, led the top management and selected staff of KW-IRS to the palaces of the Emirs of Lafiagi, Tsaragi, and Olupako of Share, in Edu and Ifelodun Local Government Areas of Kwara State on Wednesday 8th February 2023.

The visit, aimed at strengthening the existing synergy among all major stakeholders in the State, is also to solicit collaboration towards achieving the set revenue target for the year 2023 and to assist the government in all of its ongoing developmental projects across the State.

Giving her speeches at the various palaces, the Executive Chairman, appreciated the unwavering support of the traditional rulers in using their offices to aid seamless revenue drive in their respective domains.

“The contributions of traditional rulers in the State have greatly impacted our successes at the State IRS and I led my team here today to thank you, royal fathers, for the support received in the just concluded year and to seek your cooperation in achieving our given mandate of mobilizing revenue for the strategic development of Kwara State” stated Omoniyi.

Omoniyi added that the visit seeks support of the traditional institution in the area of sensitizing their subjects and communities on the importance of tax compliance and adoption of technology deployed to aid the cashless policy of the government and other approaches aimed at eradicating revenue leakages and improving revenue generation for the State.

She implored the traditional rulers to assist in addressing identified gaps of low compliance to payment of Personal Income Tax and non-compliance to road taxes obligations by okada riders, tricyclists, and motorists in the region, adding that the State situated Motor Licensing Authority (MLA) and Driver License offices in the region to ease required registration and renewal of papers for okada, tricycle, and vehicles, as a means to address insecurity and documentation issues.

“We solicit orientation of our people on the importance of playing their part as it relates to taxation and development of  Kwara”, Shade Omoniyi noted.

In his response, the Emir of Lafiagi, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammed Kudu Kawu, commended the Executive Chairman of KW-IRS and her team for the great strides being made towards revenue growth in the State, with an assurance of joining in driving seamless IGR for the State through the use of technology.

The Royal Father did not fail to mention the effort of his community in ensuring traders, cattle rearers, farmers, and everyone is captured in the database of the town, with identity cards issued, which will help the State with an idea of the number of artisans and residents of the town; enrolment of residents, the Emir said helps address security issues.

The Etsu Tsaragi, Alhaji Aliyu Kpotwa Abdullahi, in his remark, lauded the various development in the State under the AbdulRahman AbduRazaq led- administration,  expressing his readiness and willingness to collaborate with the agency of government saddled with revenue mobilization responsibility to do much better.

The Etsu Tsaragi reiterated the importance of tax compliance and promised to do more on tax advocacy in his domain, to give the government more resources needed to deliver on its promises to the populace.

In a similar vein, the Olupako of Share, His Royal Highness, Oba Suleiman Olawale Haruna, welcomed the KW-IRS team, and attested to the judicious use of taxpayers’ money under this administration, with a pledge to work more closely with the State IRS to improve infrastructural development, which is feasible only through tax compliance by every taxable individual in the State.

The traditional ruler further called for consideration of the exploration of tourist and historical monumental sites in the State as means of growing revenue for the State. Olupako expressed his readiness and zeal to leave no stone unturned in seeing to an enhanced and productive relationship with KW-IRS and the growth of Kwara.

Other highlights of the visits included the inspection of Area offices and revenue touch points in the areas.

Signed
Corporate Affairs, KW-IRS
09/02/2023