TAXATION : Taraba Assembly Investigates Corporate Bodies

The Taraba state House of Assembly has commenced an investigation to verify the remittance of all forms of revenuesmeant for the state by federal agencies and other corporate bodies operating in the state.

During plenary, presided over by Speaker, Abel Peter Diah, Monday, the House considered a motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, sponsored by Hosea Ibi, PDP, Takum 1, titled: The need to verify the remittance of all relevant taxes and other forms of revenues meant for the state by federal authorities and other corporate bodies operating in Taraba.

According to the motion,  Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other corporate bodies operating in the state are statutorily required to remit ‘Pay As You Earn’ tax and other forms of taxes and revenue to the state government monthly’.

Determined, therefore, to correct the existing inadequacies that may be found in the IGR process, it prayed  the House to;

1. Direct a joint committee on IGR and Finance and Appropriation to verify the remittance of all forms of revenue meant for the state by federal agencies and other corporate bodies operating in the state.
2. That the verification exercise should cover the period of January 2015 to date.
3. Verify the arrears of unremitted revenue due to the state from the bodies concerned and the action so far taken for recovery by relevant authorities.
4. It is to also Identify all bodies operating in the state and the type of revenue they are expected to pay to the state and come up with recommendations on any matter incidental to the IGR remittance to the House for consideration and report to theHonourable House within three weeks from the inauguration.

Contributing on the motion, Mark Useni, PDP, Takum 2 constituency, stated that a mechanism to monitor and evaluate compliance to the motion and also ensure it was sustainedshould be put in place, while Sale Salad, APC, Jalingo 2 added that loopholes in revenue generation should be blocked and prayed that the motion is given speedy consideration.

The Speaker, Peter Abel Diah, while adding his voice to the matter, reiterated the need to look inward in order to diversify the state’s economy.

He urged all organisations concerned to cooperate with the committee.

The motion was consented to by the entire House and the House committee on Internally Generated Revenue was given the responsibility for the motion.

It was then given three weeks within which to submit its report to the House.