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The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has stated that he has fully taken over the duty of tax collection in the State, while directing banks operating in the State to work with the State government officials to reconcile all Rivers State Government bank accounts.
The governor said that his decision to personally drive revenue generation is borne out of the fact that his administration is determined to sustain the mass execution of projects across the state.
“I am now fully in charge of revenue drive in the State. The aim is to make the environment conducive for businesses to thrive,” said governor Wike in a meeting with hotel owners at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor explained that under the current economic climate, the state government cannot continue to rely on the Federation Account, hence the need to enhance revenue generation.
Governor Wike informed that Local Government Councils in the state can only collect tenement rate. He said that other levies will be harmonized and paid to the State government in a single account.
“There will be no duplicity of levies. We cannot collect levies and the local government areas also collect the same levies,” the Governor said.
In view of this development, the Governor, in a meeting with banks executives operating in the State directed that the banks should work with state government officials to reconcile all Rivers State Government bank accounts with a view to stopping revenue leakages.
Governor Wike also announced that the Rivers State Government will introduce a new tax policy to ensure the improvement of the state’s revenue base.
Speaking at the meeting with the banks executives, the governor further directed the banks to close all dormant accounts operated by the state government, and deposit the funds in approved functional accounts.
“Let all the banks work with our officials to reconcile our accounts so that we stop revenue leakages.
“We will close accounts that are not necessary. We will only operate accounts that are necessary for the development of the state”, Wike said.
He directed that each Ministry can only operate one account, while other functional accounts should be closed, adding that no government agency should open an account without the authorisation of the State Accountant General.
Explaining the need for a new tax policy in the state, Governor Wike noted that it is in line with the fact that the country is operating a Federal System of Government.
Governor Wike enjoined the banks to stop paying other charges, until after the harmonisation of taxes. He, however, said pay as you earn (PAYE) payments should continue.
In his remarks, Acting Chairman of the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Alawari Ndu regretted that most banks in the state have made revenue generation quite challenging, with most of the banks at the meeting assuring Governor Wike that they will cooperate with the Rivers State Government to improve revenue generation capacity.