As part of measures to boost the revenue profile of Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson has inaugurated the state board of internal revenue with Mr. Torukuru Godson as its executive chairman.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Dickson charged the board to develop new revenue streams and work out appropriate modalities to block all leakages and wastages in the state.
Hon. Dickson, who described the assignment of the board as critical to the present administration’s restoration agenda, urged it to work closely with the ministry of finance and a committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), which are expected to perform oversight functions on the activities of the board.
Lamenting the low Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) level of the state, the Governor noted that his administration would not depend on federal allocation to execute its revolutionary infrastructural development initiative.
According to Hon. Dickson, government intends to take aggressive steps to shore up its IGR to cover all recurrent expenditures of the state.
The Governor, who decried the situation where multinational oil companies carry out their operations in the state and pay taxes outside, vowed to explore all legitimate means to put the unwholesome practice to a halt.
To this end, he directed the board to liaise with the Attorney-General of the state with a view to creating an enabling legal environment to address the situation.
“I don’t see any reason why multinational companies operating in the state with the massive degradation they wreak on our environment will not pay tax to our state…. Where we need amendment of the law,
Work with the Attorney-General that I have already mandated so that we can create an enabling legal environment when necessary”.
Responding, the Executive Chairman of the board, Mr. Torukuru Godson expressed gratitude to Governor Dickson for their appointment and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them.
The committee which is expected to brief the state executive council at least once every three months has Barr. (Mrs) Ezougha Ogborodi as Legal Adviser and Secretary.
Other members of the committee include Mr. Anthony Ikobho, Chief Felix Pere-Kalama, Mr. Joseph Freeman Isowo and Anthony Audy with two directors to represent the Inland Revenue Board.
