‘Gov Eno’s Tax Reforms ‘ll Check Multiple Taxation’

Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Services (AKIRS) has expressed concern over cases of multiple taxations bedevilling the state’s tax system, assuring Governor Umo Eno’s reforms would bring sanity and create more realistic revenues for the state.

Addressing journalists in Uyo, the state capital during a review of the tax drive for the preceding year, while projecting to the future, the executive chairman of AKIRS, Sir Okon Okon, lauded Governor Eno, for bringing efficiency and best practices to bear in state’s tax system.

He said: “We are pleased to use this opportunity to thank our Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno for all the support to the Service throughout the year and his avowed commitment to create a friendly tax environment capable of promoting ease of doing business and devoid of multiple taxation.”

Also, for a successful tax year, Okon, commended numerous taxpayers, the collaborating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), other partners, stakeholders, the media community, and the general public for their cooperation and support throughout the year.

To check fraud and other leakages in the tax drive, Okon, disclosed that plans was already afoot to ensure the digitalisation of the tax regime next year “by further expanding the automation of our processes and deepening our data-driven initiatives.”

“This is to significantly improve our operational efficiency and increase the State’s Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) without increasing any tax rate,” he stressed.

He explained that “we are confident that without increasing any tax rate, the IGR of our State would be improved via the application of technology, increased tax awareness campaign, and the expansion of the tax net to capture tax evaders.”

“Therefore, our focus for the next fiscal year would be to transform our processes from a semi-manual system to full automation. We intend to achieve an end-to-end automation of all our tax processes,” he added.