The Chairman of Imo State Internal Revenue Service, IIRS, Justice Okoye was amongst state officials who on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with the 27 local government chairmen of the state on revenue collection harmonisation.
The ceremony, which was chaired by the governor’s Special Adviser on Bureau of Local Governments, Rubby Emele, was also attended by the Commissioner for Finance, Chuck Chukwuemeka, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Simon Ebegbulem, the governor’s SA on Internally Generated Revenue and about 19 of the 27 local government chairman in the state.
Mrs Emele said the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the state government and the 27 governments was to increase the internally generated revenue of the state. “It is important for us to partner to increase the IGR. The dwindling revenue caused by the global pandemic has made this synergy very important,” she said.
On his part, the finance commissioner, Chuck Chukwuemeka, reiterated the need for the revenue collection in the state to be harmonised in order to have a seamless collection exercise. He thanked the chairmen for their steadfastness and promptness in responding by signing the MOU in good time and described this move as a win-win for all concerned.
The commissioner for commerce and industry, Mr Ebegbulem said the MOU would calm frayed nerves and restore confidence in revenue collection.
The Executive Chairman of IIRS, Justice Okoye expressed his deep appreciation for those who worked assiduously to see that the MOU was signed. He however, pleaded with the local government chairmen to assist the state government in driving the implementation.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, the Chairman of the ALGON in the state and chairman of Oru West local government, Sir Willie Okolie-Ogwo expressed his appreciation to the Executive Chairman of IIRS for what he described as “the steadfast role you played in midwifing the success story of the MOU.”
He said with the new arrangement, the burden that usually comes with revenue collection at the local governments would now be borne by the state government while they partner with the state for its overall success.
Recently, the state government initiated a move whereby the state’s internal revenue agency, IIRS would take over the revenue collection at the local governments and pool the revenue together for sharing to the local governments.
