The Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Ifueko Omoigui Okauru has disclosed that a total sum of N1.974.17 trillion was collected between January and June 2011 by the agency.
The Chairman of the agency disclosed this in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state at the institution’s Enlarged Management Meeting, REMM.
Speaking on her behalf the Coordinating Director, Tax Operations Group, Mr. Samuel Ogungbesan said the total sum consisted of collection of N1.3trillion from Oil revenue and N663.81 billion from non-oil revenue.
The agency said FIRS is simplifying its processes to make its services easier and accessible to taxpayers.
Also speaking at the occasion, Coordinating Director, Corporate Development Group, CDG, Mr. Ossy Chuke said: “though staffs in the agency are trying their best, however there is still much more to be done, as the Government is increasingly depending on tax revenue to close the revenue gaps in the federation due to the increasing revenue needs across the tiers of Government.”
He said taxpayer service entails educating, sensitizing and enlightening taxpayers and other relevant stakeholders through constant engagement. This according to him is to ensure that “the taxpayer is not only equipped with up to date knowledge of the tax system, but also receives quality service that will increase his/her confidence and trust in the tax system.”
Mr. Chuke said: “Several initiatives have and are being taken by the Service to ensure that the tax payer as our customer can pay tax at minimal cost and inconvenience. Indeed, the entire modernisation project of the Service (encompassing the use of information and communication technology to integrate the core tax modules (ITAS), Records Management Automation, HR Reengineering and Automation, Finance and Accounts Reengineering and Automation, Reengineering of Facility Management and Procurement, UTIN, and more) aims at simplifying the system by making it more transparent, more efficient and effective for all. The primary targeted outcome of it all is much improved voluntary compliance by and a more enlightened taxpayer population “If we understand the overall philosophy and objective of taxpayer service, we will see that it cuts across everything we do and is at the core of our operations. The logic simply is that if we help the taxpayer to know his rights and obligations and provide convenient and cost-effective services to taxpayers, this will create greater confidence and trust in the tax system and taxpayers will reciprocate with improved compliance; be it in terms of timeliness of compliance or the accuracy and completeness of returns.”
Four times in a year, FIRS converge to examine and appraise its quarterly performance and articulate strategies for better performance in tax revenue collection to relative to its target. The forum equally offers opportunity for Management to interact with staff in the pursuit of its vision and mission.
