From Ron Jacob, Jos.
The Plateau Government on Tuesday said that it has generated N6. 269 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) between January and June this year.
Mr. Dashe Arlat, the Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Jos.
Arlat , who commended the staff for their hard work, described the half year collection as “very huge’’ and “encouraging’’ considering the economic situation of the country.
He said the revenue (N6.269bn) collected within the first half of the year was a sharp contrast to N5. 19 billion collected in the corresponding period of 2017.
The chairman expressed optimism that with impressive feat achieved so far, “there is the tendency that we might be able to meet this year’s revenue target of N13 billion.’’
“Looking back at N5.19 billion we generated during the same period under review in 2017, we have an increase of about N1.07 billion this year, ’’ he said.
The revenue boss said that the N6. 269 billion IGR garnered within the six months of the year was the highest ever in the history of the PSIRS.
Arlat commended the staff of the service for an impressive collection in spite of the difficult working condition.
He said that the feat was achieved following improvements in collection of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and levies and charges by the MDAs and the PSIRS.
According to him, while the MDAs were only able to generate N916, 877, 758.43, PSIRS generated N4, 636, 419, 193.22 out of the total collection of the state within the first half.
The chairman said that monthly analysis showed that May had the highest collection of N1. 314 billion followed by January with N1. 272 billion while the month of June recorded the lowest of N820 Million.
He said that at the beginning of the year, the service set a target of N1 billion as its monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), with a view to strengthening and improving government’s provision of basic social amenities to the citizens of the state.
The PSIRS Chairman called on the general public especially tax payers to endeavour to pay their taxes as and when due to enable the government meet up with its responsibilities.