Kwara govt advised on revenue drive

He said the government’s plan to enhance its revenue collection machinery without imposing taxes as contained in the 2015 budget presented by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is achievable.
It would be recalled that Ahmed in the 2015 budget presented last week assured that the government had no intention of imposing taxes on the citizens.
“While we intend to make revenue collection web more effective and block all identified revenue loopholes, let me make it clear that we have no intention of imposing taxes on our people who are already burdened by the harsh national economy”, Ahmed said.
Speaking with our correspondent in Ilorin, the NASME Chairman urged the government to fulfill its obligations to the citizenry to enable them pay levy without being coerced.
He noted that the Ministry of Housing for instance could be made to generate more revenue through the approval for building and construction works being carried out in the state.
 Also, he stated that the Ministry of Agriculture has enormous revenue potentials which are not being tapped especially with the number of agro-markets located in the state.
“Go to Ministry of Water Resources, if people are getting water as and when due, government needs not force anybody to pay water rate”, Ajisefini added.
He said, “For the government to generate revenue without enforcing tax, the state government should provide their own social responsibility. If citizens have benefit for paying for something, they would not hesitate to pay.
“Government needs to pay more on public enlightenment, tell us why we need to pay for this, what they want to use the money for and state government should put the right peg in the right hole, by so doing people are ready to contribute to development of the state through their own levy”.