The Kwara State Ease of Doing Business Council, yesterday 12th November, 2021, paid a working visit to the Executive Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) Shade Omoniyi at the Corporate Head Office in GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Council drawn from various MDAs and non-governmental agencies of the State visited the revenue house to review various reforms put in place and ongoing at KW-IRS in the last two years, find ways of improving existing businesses and provision of better conducive business environment in Kwara State.
The KW-IRS Executive Chairman, Shade Omoniyi, appreciated the working visit, the collective efforts, and the vision of sustainable economic growth for Kwara by all.
She lauded the ambition of Ease of Doing Business Council, describing it as a major antidote to economic growth and higher expectations of a positive ripple effects on the IGR of Kwara State.
Shade Omoniyi took turn to reel out reforms in place since she assumed duty, among the reforms are the creation of 13 additional functional area offices across the State, creation of online payment platforms, Self Service portal for taxpayers to carry out tax related activities in the comfort of their homes and offices, introduction and launching of the new e-TCC, various palliatives to taxpayers within the formal and informal sectors to cushion the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on businesses and introduction of ticketing model for Okada riders.
Other reforms as explained by Shade Omoniyi are the introduction of harmonized billing System, creation of Stamp Duty Office with a dedicated stamp duty Commissioner, a streamlined process through merger of related job processes and driving every business processes of KW-IRS technologically.
Omoniyi, noted that engagement of critical stakeholders in the drive of revenue, continuous tax advocacy, and productive Community Impact Programs across the State also remain her major focus, among several others.
In their separate responses, members of Ease of Doing Business Council commended the achievements of the Executive Chairman, KW-IRS, particularly in the record breaking IGR in the Q1 of the year.
They characterized all feats as world-class standards and in tune with the principles associated with the ease of doing business in any developed States in the world.
The council emphasized need for more in the area of tax advocacy, considering the peculiarity of the State, calling the attention of KW-IRS boss to the prevalent issues of multiple and double taxation arising from activities of the Local Government and the State, seeking urgent moves to ending all forms of reported unruly manners in which Local Government go about their revenue drive in the State.
The council suggested capacity building training programmes where all collections processes for both State and Local Government are harmonized and creation of more synergy between KW-IRS and the Local Government Council.
The working visit by Ease of Doing Business Council was extended to the office of the Executive Chairman, Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), Abdulmutalib Shittu, where issues bothering on improvement of Lands and Property related business processes were discussed.
Making his remarks, Abdulmutalib Shittu appreciated the visit and exposed the visiting team to various business operations of the agency, with appeal to prospective land and property owners in the State to ensure required clarifications, documentation and approvals are gotten before embarking on any structure construction to avoid sanctions or demolition.
Executive Chairman, KW-GIS, assured the council of provision of simplified and productive business processes for land matters in the State in no distant time, stating that, with the merger of all units saddled with responsibilities of property matters into KW-GIS, greater achievements are possible.
The Council further calls for more symbiotic relationship among all agencies of government, by collaborating to ensuring provision of credible database of taxpayers, an improved IGR and conducive business environment for all in the State.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Harmony Holdings Limited, Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, expressed the appreciation of the Council to the leadership of both KW-IRS and KW-GIS for their individual and undeniable developmental initiatives that have set a great pace of standards for other MDAs in the State and their attention and struggles geared towards creating an enviable Kwara.
The visit had in attendance the Executive Chairman, KW-IRS, Shade Omoniyi, the GMD/CEO Harmony Holdings, Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, Honourable Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Arinola Lawal, the Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Rafiu Ajakaye, President KWACCIMA, Olalekan Ayodimeji, Executive Chairman, KW-GIS, Abdulmutalib Shittu and Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice of the State, Ayinla Salman Jawondo Esq.
Others are top Management team and staff of both KW-IRS and KW-GIS.
Signed
Corporate Affairs Department,KW-IRS
13/11/2021