KADIRS Debunks Rumour of Decline in IGR, Says  N14.16b  Collected in  Two Months

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The  Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) has debunked rumours of decline in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), saying it has generated N14.16 billion in the last two months.

Corporate Communication officer of KADIRS, Zakari Muhammad, stated this in a statement yesterday.

He said claims in some quarters suggesting a decline in IGR under the present administration are false.

According to him, in 2023 and 2024  N62.48 billion and N71 billion respectively was collected as IGR, making Kaduna the leading IGR performing state in northern Nigeria.

Muhammad said Governor Uba Sani has introduced a series of  reforms that have improved tax collection and made tax payment easy.

He added that some of the reforms include, the integrated tax administration portal (PAYKADUNA), financial inclusion initiatives, enhanced taxpayers and stakeholders’ engagement.’’

Muhammad said the current automation process of tax collection, allows “’payments to be made through the PAYKADUNA portal or via pay direct channels from which they are transferred into the state’s Treasury Singles Accounts.’’

“This process ensures that  staff of the Service have no access or interaction with tax collections.

‘’The IGR account is a collection and transit account and not  an expenditure account therefore, it is highly inaccurate to think that any amounts can be withdrawn from it to service any interests.

‘’The current level of IGR collection of the state speaks to the competence of the Chairman, the management team of the Service and the support they enjoy from the state to function as a professional and apolitical revenue authority of the state,’’  Muhammad said.

Muhammad noted that KADIRS has never received any instructions to facilitate the payment of  N100 million, or any payment, to either an  individual or organisation.

The KADIRS, according to Muhammad, ‘’is an autonomous agency of the  Kaduna state government and remains committed to its mandate of facilitating seamless and efficient revenue mobilisation for service delivery, without fear or favour to any individual or group.’’