The executive chairman of Sokoto State Internal Revenue Service, IGS, Alhaji Abubakar Zaki Tambuwal, said the Service has drastically improved its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from about N2 billion monthly when he took over to N3.8 billion monthly in less than one year and is determined to surpass the N37 billion target set for the service in 2024.
Tambuwal, Governor Ahmad Aliyu, appointed in August 2023, said residents' payment of taxes will enable the government to provide basic amenities and deliver on its social contract with the citizens, including constructing roads, schools, healthcare facilities, and other infrastructural projects.
He posited that the state governor is providing basic amenities for citizens and is not asking for too much by asking the people to pay their taxes to fund his pro-people projects.
"The primary purpose of taxation is to provide revenues for the government to enable it to deliver on its social contract with the citizens of Sokoto state, the construction of roads, building of schools, healthcare facilities and other infrastructural projects, all of which Governor Ahmad Aliyu is doing. He is not asking for too much; he asks the people to pay their taxes to fund his pro-people projects.
"We have drastically improved the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, from about N2 billion monthly when we took over to N3.8 billion monthly within one year. And we are determined to meet and surpass the N37 billion target set for us in 2024.
"I must acknowledge the governor's solid support in the discharge of our assignment, first through the judicious use of the taxes collected in execution of his 9-point Agenda and in the prompt funding of the service, because without funding the Service, there is no way we can work. Revenue collection is expensive. The numerous projects the governor has embarked upon have helped the service collect taxes because the people finally see the benefits of paying taxes.
"Governor Ahmad Aliyu is our Chief Tax Collector. We are not where we want to be, but we will certainly get there. We must support our performing governor. So, we intend to meet and surpass the target," he stated.
