By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
The Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has called on Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria(CITN) to provide useful technical support to Cross River State Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS) to strengthen its operations and further enhance its productivity. .
Otu made this call while welcoming a delegation from CITN led by its 16th President, Mr Samuel Agbeluye, mni, FCTI ahead of the Institute’s South-South Conference in Calabar.
The governor who was represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey praised the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, Prince Edwin Okon for developing strategies like sensitization campaign and generating adequate data that has created a tax-friendly environment to promote business growth and improve the internally generated revenue of the state.
Otu opined that with the improved IGR, it was easy for the current administration to embark on the revitalization of various infrastructures and people-oriented projects across the nooks and crannies of the state as well as build a sustainable economy that will create wealth for the people.
He further disclosed that with government’s efforts to acquire more aircrafts for the state-owned airline, the difficulties experienced by tourism and investors to Calabar will be greatly minimized, adding that, it will also improve the IGR of the State.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation and 16th President of CITN, Mr Samuel Agbeluye, expressed joy at the warm reception his team had received since entering the state, stated that the purpose of the visit was to acquaint the Governor with the activities of the CITN and formally inform him of the Institute’s Conference in Calabar which would focus on the training of tax professionals.
He pointed out that the institute was a knowledge-based institute that is committed to the training and retraining of its members, CITN offered their partnership in providing training for the staff of Internal Revenue Service and the various MDAs concerned with revenue generation.
Speaking to newsmen at the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service, Prince Edwin Okon commended the CITN who had contributed greatly to repositioning the the IRS in the state.
He said the Chairman of the Joint Tax Board who was present at the meeting and other professionals collaborating with the FIRS had provided support to the state leading to the recovery of huge sums of money accruing from withholding taxes and other liabilities.
