Enugu: Good governance and new revenue regime

Enujuba alexander
A few2016_06_20_72453 days ago, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, through the reconstitution of the state Board of Internal Revenue, took a bold step towards a systematic increase in the In­ternally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state for the deliv­ery of more dividends of de­mocracy to the people.
The decisive action of the governor in reconstituting the board was basically for two reasons. First, it was because of the expiration of the tenure of the previous board under the chairmanship of Mr. F.O.C Chime. The second reason was obviously in response to the current economic chal­lenges in the country, which have drastically dwindled the financial status of states and the nation at large to an all-time low.
The reconstituted board, which was made, pursuant to Section 19(1) of the Finance (Amendment) Law of Enugu State, brought on board men of proven integrity and finan­cial prowess to drive the noble agenda of the state govern­ment towards improving on its IGR for the prosecution of more development projects and other social services.
It is worthy of note that Gov­ernor Ugwuanyi’s administra­tion in just one year in office, despite the harsh economic situation, had completed six major road projects while over 15 development projects are on-going , including un­precedented feats recorded in other sectors of development. His administration had also advertised the award of con­tract for 25 new roads includ­ing three bridges in the 17 lo­cal government areas, as part of his administration’s grass­roots development initiatives and the contracts will soon be awarded for execution.
The governor, while recon­stituting the board appointed a seasoned administrator, banker, journalist, financial expert and businessman, Mr. Chukwuemeka Anthony Odo as Chairman. He equally ap­pointed Mr. Chike Onodugo, Mr. Jude Sunday Egbo, Barr Joseph Onuoha, and a law­yer, Mrs. Chinasa Perpetual Awkadigwe, who serves as secretary to the board, among others, as members.
There is no doubt that be­cause of the board’s signifi­cance as the main revenue generating agency of the state, when it was reconstituted, at­tracted the attention and com­mendation from the public, especially those who were conversant with the calibre of persons in the membership of the board.
For instance, the choice of the new board chairman, Mr. Odo, was widely viewed by many people as a square peg in a square hole, considering his antecedents in finance and business management, where he rose to become the Execu­tive Director, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Lagos Region, in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank).
While inaugurating the board, Ugwuanyi noted that the Internal Revenue Service in the state was crucial to the economic well-being of the government and by extension that of the people of the state, most especially in the pres­ent “days of severe national economic depression that is threatening the solvency of government at all levels and which is already hindering their operations.”
The governor regretted that the receipts from federation account have been growing progressively smaller, mak­ing it expedient for most state governments to depend on IGR to fund their activities and service their obligations.
As a visionary leader, Gov­ernor Ugwuanyi revealed that he had envisaged the situation in his inaugural speech, when he warned that every revenue-generating agency of the state should be ready to intensify its efforts to generate and remit more revenues to fund gov­ernment development efforts.
Consequently, the gover­nor charged members of the newly reconstituted board to raise their performance bar and develop strategies that would achieve significant and substantial increase in the IGR of the state.
He equally mandated them to ensure the effective collec­tion of all the revenue accru­able to the government as well as checkmate all avenues of leakages and wastages in the process. He stressed that the prevailing economic condi­tions had caused government to labour tirelessly to “meet its heavy financial commit­ments and obligations: to pay salaries, fund development projects, ensure social services and maintain security among others.”
As a leader who is com­mitted to the principles of accountability, transparency and prudent management of resources, the governor called on individuals and corporate bodies in the state not to fail in their obligations to pay their taxes, as defaulters, according to him, “will not be counted as friends of the state”.
He reassured “that every kobo put into the pockets of the government, will be uti­lised transparently and in a manner that would add value to the lives of the people of Enugu State.”
In his response, the new chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue, Mr. Odo, who is a member of the Enu­gu State Economic Advisory Committee, on behalf of other board members, thanked the governor for the confidence he reposed in them to serve and assured him that they will explore and exploit all sources of internally generated rev­enue to ensure that govern­ment meets its obligations to the people of the state.
He promised that they will strive to expand the tax net in the state so that every taxable person and organisation will be given the opportunity to perform their civic obligation of paying tax for the govern­ment to continue to be at their service.
According to him, “strate­gies will also be implemented to grow existing non-tax rev­enues and expand other in­come sources of government bearing in mind the economic indices of the state as a civil service driven economy.
He said: “We are aware that the state government is in a hurry to deliver more service to the people, through its de­velopment agenda, we shall harness all forms of internally generated revenue to ensure that present administration of Governor Ugwuanyi in Enugu State meets its obligations to the citizens.
“Taxation is our collective responsibility. The new Board of Internal Revenue will be driven by the culture of ser­vice, team spirit, transparency, accountability and profession­alism.”
From the foregoing, it is clear that Governor Ugwuanyi has come up with a new eco­nomic agenda that would help propel a process of increased revenue generation for the state and in a friendly atmo­sphere for the people to enjoy more dividends of democracy. This strategic vision remains one of the statutory ways out of the current economic quag­mire.
The onus is therefore, on individuals and corporate or­ganisations to cooperate with the board by ensuring that they fulfil their obligations of paying taxes regularly for the government to continue to deliver good governance, for Enugu State under Governor Ugwuanyi is truly in the hands of God.
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