FCT-IRS seeks collaboration with revenue agencies on funding FCT budget

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), says funding FCT budget entirely from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) sources was possible, with the collaboration of other revenue generating agencies.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday, in Abuja, signed by Mustapha Sumaila, Head of Corporate Communications, FCT-IRS.

Sumaila quoted the Acting Executive Chairman FCT-IRS, Mr Haruna Abdullah, as stating this when he received a delegation from the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), led by its Director, Alh. Wadata Bodinga at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said that the Service had been championing the course of harmonising revenues from all revenue generating agencies in the FCT, with a view to blocking leakages, addressing multiple taxation and growing the FCT’s revenue base.

According to him, the effort would make the FCT have the capacity to fund its budget solely, through the Internally Generated Revenues.

“We hope to see that the FCTA funds its budget 100 per cent from the IGR, so that whatever comes from the Federal Government as allocation, would be a surplus for them.”

“From the management to the board and all other stakeholders, this is what we want and would be excited about this development, talking and finding solutions.”

“We are passionate about harmonisation, I mean to harmonise the whole collection processes,” he explained.

Abdullahi reassured the team of the Service’s continued support, stating that the FCT-IRS had been working tirelessly to raise and enhance the FCT’s revenue base.

He said in view of this, he would continue to extend his hand of friendship across all revenue generating agencies in the territory.

The Acting Chairman also said that the Service would review the priorities of DRTS, in order to identify more areas for sustainable collaboration in order to enhance revenue generation.

In his remarks, Bodinga said that the visit was targeted at three major areas; collaboration, support and training.

He stated that the DRTS, under his leadership, was committed to ensuring safety and orderliness in the FCT, as well as to strengthen the existing collaboration between the DRTS and FCT-IRS to boost revenue generation.

Highlighting the benefits of the collaboration between the DRTS and the Service, the FCT-IRS Director in charge of ICT, Oduba Oduba, stated that the collaboration would help in facilitating the exchange of data between revenue generating agencies.

Similarly, it would also improve road infrastructure through the revenue generated.

The Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, DRTS, Mr Wale Durojaye, expressed the readiness of the DRTS to provide data, reports and projections needed to facilitate FCT-IRS collection.

Meanwhile, a committee had been constituted to articulate and harmonise areas of possible collaboration between the two organisations, with a view to boosting revenue collection.

The members were: Mr Malik Tukur, FCT-IRS Director Taxes, Oduba Oduba, Director in charge of ICT, FCT-IRS, Mr. Wale Durojaye, the DRTS head of planning and the DRTS’ head of ICT, Mr Auwal Mohammed.