OKIRO DEMANDS PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN REVENUE COLLECTION, COMMENDS ROTARY CLUB FOR ITS PRO-POOR ACTIVITIES

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Mike Mbama Okiro has called for a system of revenue collection that guarantees the highest degree of public confidence in government’s integrity, efficiency and fairness. 

This system, he says, must also comply with current statutory provisions and revenue generation Personal Income Tax Act, amongst others.

Dr. Okiro made the call in Abuja in a goodwill message at the on-going 3-day Stakeholders’ Conference on “Improving Federal Government Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): Nigeria Police Services in Focus” organized by the Ministry of Police Affairs.

He noted that this recommendation will greatly help in checkmating the practice of tax evasion and other tax administration challenges, adding that the principal idea behind Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) “is to collect the proper amount of tax revenue at least cost, in a manner that guarantees the highest degree of public confidence…….”

The PSC Chairman observed that there have been criticisms in respect of the activities of tax consultants and their use of Gestapo approaches to tax drive including use of armed Soldiers and Policemen who use excessive force in their tax drive. He called for better options that will give the Police better image.

According to him “we have to be careful not to recommend a tax regime that is capable of encouraging capital flight to some of our neighbouring countries with more tolerable tax regimes.”

Also speaking in Abuja when he received in audience a delegation from the Naraguta Rotary Club of Jos, who conferred on him an award of “Distinguished beholder of the Law” in appreciation of his respect for the rule of law throughout his career, Dr. Okiro commended the Club for its commitment to the cause of the needy and poor. He identified Rotarians as special breed of people who are in the vanguard for the uplift of the down trodden.

Dr. Okiro also led a delegation of the Commission to the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja to congratulate the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sulieman Abbah on his confirmation by the Nigerian Police Council.