Bauchi State Government on Wednesday said it had partnered with Dreamlabs Nigeria Limited as a new tax collection agency to obtain taxes from informal sectors so as to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Umar Adamu, state Commissioner for Finance, told newsmen in Bauchi that the state could no longer rely only on taxes got from ‘pay as you earn’ which mostly came from civil servants.
He said that the informal sector, including commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators as well as traders in the markets, would have to be captured and made to pay certain amount as taxes to the government.
“We are going to leverage on the expertise of this consultant to harness and tap resources that are hidden in informal sector.
“They have the knowledge of how to collect taxes from informal sector like keke Napep drivers, Achaba (motorcyclists), people selling things in the market who are all benefiting from what this government is doing, but are not paying their taxes.
“The consultant will help us in generating data throughout the state and diplomatically interface with the unions of this informal sectors so as to know the benefits of paying their taxes,” he said
The finance commissioner said while the people expected the administration to build hospitals, pay salaries, build roads and provide drinkable water, they were also expected to pay their taxes and water rates as and when due.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news briefing was attended by Alhaji Garba Dahiru, the newly sworn in commissioner for Information and Communication and Abdulrasak Mohammad, the state Commissioner for Works.(NAN)
