Breaking News: PSIRS generates 7.2bn in Q1

Breaking News: PSIRS generates 7.2bn in Q1

The Plateau State Internal Revenue Service,PSIRS, nets Seven Billion, Two Hundred and Three million, Three Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Six Hundred and Forty One Naira and Sixty One Naira (N7,203,329,641.61K)only  in the first quarter (Q1) of 2020.

This revelation was made by Mr. Arlat Dashe Dasoghot, the Executive Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) in his office at the Revenue House Jos, today Wednesday 27th May,2020 at a media briefing to a select Media Executives.

The Executive Chairman said from 2015 to 2020,the Service has consistently improved its revenue generation in the  first quarters of the years under review. 

Dasoghot hinted that the reasons for the growth were the strategic planning and execution of enhanced data collection, aggressive enforcement of tax defaulters,aggressive tax audits and investigations, aggressive tax Payers Education and  compliance, renewal of retainership with  media houses andquarterlymediabriefings,,aggressive pursuit of the informal sector taxes, and aggressive MDA enforcement across the State. 

In a questions and answers session, the Chairman said the COVID-19 Pandemic has affected the internal revenue of the State,thus, the April,2020 revenue will be negatively affected. 

The Chairman, however, complained about banks and communications companies who are withholding taxes meant for the State but was happy to announce that meetings have commenced with the banks and the companies for amicable resolutions. 

On the COVID-19 Pandemic and the efforts of the Service to contend it,the Chairman said the Service bought and distributed Face Masks to members of the general public,particularly, tax payers. 

On the question to  improve the revenue base of the State, the Chairman said the State Government has appointed a Consultancy Firm that will raise the revenue base of the State like Kaduna State whose annual income is now N44bn.

On the question on SIFTAS,State Financial Transparency Assessment Scheme, the Chairman said it is a seven point eligibility scoring system. He said Plateau State didn't qualify in the 2018 assessment which led to our exclusion in the 2019 disbursement done in 2020 but that efforts are being made to qualify for the 2020 measurement to be disbursed in 2021.