Kwara is a model in revenue collection – FIRS chairman

The Chairman, Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Babatunde Fowler, has described the Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), as a model revenue agency in the North Central region.

Fowler gave this pass mark on Thursday in Ilorin at the official flag-off of the National Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and Consolidated National Taxpayers’ Database.

He said the choice of Ilorin for the flag-off of the North Central Region was in recognition of the path-finding role the state had played in ensuring sustainable internally generated revenue profile for the state and the region.

“Over the years, Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) has designed and executed far reaching IGR reforms that have translated to a model revenue agency in the region.

“Following the Law granting it autonomy in June 2015, it has developed in leaps and bounds constantly seeking to achieve excellence in tax administration.

“It has achieved a 221 per cent increase in its collection from N7.1 billion in 2015 at the time of attaining its autonomous status to N23 billion in 2018.

“Kwara IRS has come to a benchmark for revenue authorities, not just within the North Central, but nationwide as well.

“It is also noteworthy that KWIRS is the only state revenue agency in the country to have been ISO certified, with the ISO 9001 for Quality Management System and ISO/IEC 22301 for Business Continuity Management System,” Fowler added.

He said while Kwara IRS was setting standards, sister revenue authorities within the zone were left behind, as statistics indicated that Niger with 60.05 per cent and Nasarawa State with 22.56 per cent were among the top 15 states within an annual growth rate above 20 per cent in 2018.

The state deputy governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, who represented the governor, AbduRahman AbdulRazaq at the event later unveiled the TIN certificate.