C'River: CRIRS Partners Security Agencies To Clampdown On Revenue Leakages
By Our Reporter
In the bid to enhance the Internally Generated Revenue of the State and address the issue of multiple of taxation, the Cross River Internal Revenue Service has struck partnership with relevant security agencies to fight against the proliferation of illegal revenue checkpoints in the State.
The Acting Executive Chairman, Prince Edwin Okon, while on a courtesy visit to to the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Gyogon A. Grimah, said the presence of unauthorized revenue agents mounting roadblocks on the roads is one of the major tax related menaces that contribute to the dwindling financial profile of the State, insisting that culprits must be made to face the law.
Prince Okon said the synergy between the government and security agencies will give government the desired results to carter to the State's recurrent expenditures.
Still speaking, the Acting Executive Chairman said reports also have it that persons who perpetrate the sham are no longer in the employ of government but still parade themselves as agents, consultants and even appointees of government. He however promised to make available details of authorised tax personnel and points to enable security operatives carry out the clampdown exercise.
Responding, the Commissioner of Ploce, Cross River State Command, CP Gyogon A. Grimah, hailed the synergy as timely as the police has, in recent time, received one too many reports of extortion by illegal tax collectors and sanctions have been taken appropriately.
Grimah also admonished citizens to wake-up to their civic responsibility of paying taxes in other to avoid getting caught in government tax net.
In the same vein, the State Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Okoi U. Obono (Rtd.), pledged his total support to the cause, promising to be part of the whole process to bring sanity into then tax system, saying that security permeates every aspect of our lives and society. He added that to generate revenue for government to be able to provide basic social amenities, pay salaries and allowances, leakages needed to be blocked.
He advised the CRIRS to interact with other stakeholders such as the traditional institution in order to boost results.
Other areas of interest discussed included, the harassment of IRS personnel, constitution of a tax taskforce to support enforcement drive by the State Governor, collaboration with the judiciary for the new reintroduction of revenue courts, amongst others.
