In an effort to enhance service delivery and boost internal revenue generation for the government, the Bauchi State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has implemented and rolled out technological solutions into their operations.
As a result, to implement and refine the new initiative, the Board led by its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Mu’azu Umar, convened a roundtable discussion with several key stakeholders. During this meeting, certain common understandings were achieved.
Mu’azu who disclosed this in an interactive session with Journalists in Bauchi, stated that a meeting held between the Board and all the 20 LGCs Chairpersons was aimed to address major challenges especially of multiple taxation, thereby harmonizing collections and blocking leakages.
At present, various agencies are gathering revenues, and taxpayers often claim payment to specific entities without being able to verify either the exact amounts or timing. These issues will be addressed moving forward,” he stated. “We had an extensive conversation with the chairpersons who agreed with our stance.
The BIRS Executive Chairman stated that efficiency needs to be maintained throughout the procedure, noting that an automated system will be implemented since the capabilities at the state level surpass those available at the local government level.
As he stated, “Automation will be crucial, eliminating cash collection and doing away with the manual procedures involved in gathering and recording revenues.”
So, these measures will expedite the collection process, minimize losses, and simplify things since we aim to make it effortless for taxpayers. This way, their costs related to compliance will remain minimal. We planned to initiate this around late January and hope to commence it during this upcoming quarter starting in April, God willing.
The Executive Chairman highlighted numerous transportation unions along with several important stakeholders in the process of generating revenue. However, he mentioned that managing road taxes has posed significant difficulties for the Board historically. Despite these challenges, he conveyed his thanks to God as they are currently surmounting these obstacles.
“We encountered issues since there was no strict implementation of road taxes until recently, when Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed launched the Bauchi State Road Traffic Agency BAROTA. The board is now collaborating with this agency to explore ways to enhance compliance with traffic rules within the state,” he mentioned additionally.
According to Mu’azu Usman, the BIRS has partnered with various transportation unions including NURTW, RTEAN, Achaba, and Keke Napep to implement regulations concerning road taxes. He mentioned that they have initiated weight billing and manifest systems through the collaboration of these unions.
“We are currently requiring updates from Achaba and Keke NAPEP operators to ensure accurate records. For the Keke NAPEP vehicles, we are implementing body numbering to identify those involved in this business effectively. This measure aims to enhance security, improve road safety, and increase revenue,” he stated.
Thus, the Executive Chairman expressed appreciation for the backing provided by State Governor Sen Bala Muhammad, acknowledging the conducive atmosphere he facilitated for the Board’s operations.
He urged the taxpayers to increase their efforts in making timely payments, as this would help the government deliver more benefits of democratic governance. He highlighted that from 2020 until now, all ongoing capital projects within the state have been funded solely through locally generated income.
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