The Plateau Government realised N2.18 billion internally generated revenue in the first quarter of the year, the Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Samuel Pam, has said.
Pam stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Jos.
Pam, who said the amount was “not so encouraging”, added that the staff of the agency would be encouraged to show more commitment to duty.
A breakdown of the amount showed that the highest amount, N801.99 million, was realised in January, while the lowest amounted collected, N683.09 million, was recorded in February.
“Our desire and hope is to maintain the one billion naira monthly collection mark recorded in December 2013, and anything below that is not encouraging at all”, he said.
Pam, who said that the agency was aiming higher, said it initiated measures to block all revenue leakages to enable the state government meet its obligations to the people.
He warned corporate organisations and institutions against tax evasion, saying it was “criminal and destructive”.
He said that the agency would continue to negotiate with various corporate organisations including banks, federal institutions, industries, hotels and other business outfits to remit their taxes to the government.
“If all these institutions, firms and bodies, especially schools and private hospitals and clinics, should remit all Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) deductions from staff salaries to us, our revenue base will improve”, he said.
Pam called on the people not to relent in paying their taxes, adding that the agency would not hesitate to prosecute any individual or corporate organisation that failed to do so. (NAN)
