Sokoto IGS Chair: We’ll Exceed N37bn 2024 IGR Target

•As BOI donates food items to Sokoto government

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Executive Chairman, Sokoto State Internal Revenue Service (IGS), Alhaji Abubakar Zaki Tambuwal, has said the Service has drastically improved the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from about N2 billion monthly when he took over to N3.8 billion monthly under one year and is determined to meet and surpass the N37 billion target set for the service in 2024.

In another development, the Bank of Industry (BOI), has donated 2,400 cartons of food items to the Sokoto State Government as part of its contribution to reducing the hardship being faced by Nigerians.

Receiving the food items, Gov. Ahmed Aliyu thanked the bank for the invaluable gesture and expressed optimism that the gesture would meet the food needs of many communities especially the have-nots in the state. 

Gov. Aliyu said: “What the BOI has done here has demonstrated its patriotism and love for humanity. I commend you for this.”

The governor called on other private organizations and corporate bodies operating in the state to emulate BOI so that their host community can derive maximum benefit of their presence.

Meanwhile, during an encounter with THISDAY, Wednesday, Chair, Sokoto State Internal Revenue Service, Alhaji Abubakar Zaki Tambuwal, appointed by Governor Ahmad Aliyu in August, 2023, said payment of taxes by residents will enable the government provide basic amenities and deliver on its social contract with the citizens, including the construction of roads, building of schools, healthcare facilities and other infrastructural projects.

Tambuwal said though the state governor is providing basic amenities for citizens, he is not asking for too much by asking the people to pay their taxes to fund his pro-people projects.

He said: “The main purpose of taxation is to provide revenues for the government to enable it 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 Sokoto is doing.

“He is certainly not asking for too much by asking 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 under 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 in the collection of taxes because the people are finally seeing the benefits of paying their taxes.

“Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is our Chief Tax Collector. We are not where we want to be, but we are most certainly going to get there. We must support our performing governor. So, we intend to meet and surpass the target.”

On the BOI donation, Governor assured of the state government’s readiness to collaborate with the Bank on any issue that would boost trade and commerce in the overall interest of the state and the bank as well.

He extolled President Bola Tinubu’s approach to reducing hardship that Nigerians are going through and expressed confidence that the situation would soon change.

Earlier, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Commerce, Haruna Abbas, said the gesture would go a long way in putting smiles on the faces of the less-privileged.

According to him, the gesture is in line with the state government’s palliative initiatives, and commended BOI for the foresight.

Earlier, the Zonal Manager of the Bank, Habiba Ismaila Sambawa, said the gesture is part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility to its host communities.

The food items, she added, are part of their effort to complement the government’s efforts in providing food to the teeming populace especially in the current hardship and economic downturn being faced by Nigerians.

The event had in attendance top government functionaries.