Gombe govt., Joint Tax Board move to end illegal taxation
The Joint Tax Board (JTB) in collaboration with the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service has taken measures to address illegal and multiple taxation in the state.
The JTB Executive Secretary, Hajiya Obomeghie Nana-Aisha said this while addressing newsmen on the sideline of a sensitisation and engagement programme held in Gombe on Tuesday.
The programme organised by the JTB in collaboration with the state board of internal revenue was to sensitise stakeholders in tax collection on Single Inter-state Road Tax Sticker (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF).
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Nana-Aisha said the aim of implementing SIRTS and SHF was to end illegal tax collection, extortion on the highways and block revenue leakages in the country.
The JTB executive secretary who was represented by Samson David, a senior Manager in the Board explained that the initiative was already being implemented in 22 states of the federation.
She said the initiative would reduce incidences of double taxation through the sales of multiple stickers while enhancing the ease of doing businesses in the country.
“What the single interstate road sticker seems to achieve is remove all the road blocks; across the nation, transporters face different kinds of roadblocks, taxes which is not good for us.
“In implementation of ease of doing business, Nigeria ranks well and for us to implement that is to ensure that multiple taxes are removed on roadblocks in Nigeria.
“We have different kinds of unusual practices that are not in the law. This made JTB to implement what the law has said,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service, Alhaji Salihu Baba-Alkali said the initiative was a welcome development for the state.
Baba-Alkali said the Service having engaged JTB would critical study the initiative towards ensuring quick implementation for the benefit of the state.
He stated that the initiative was good as it would make life easier for truck drivers that were moving from Gombe to other parts of the country.
“Once a payment is made, it takes you through to your destination. That is a welcome development by the truck drivers and owners.
“We are losing a lot of revenue in this space both for the stickers that have not been paid for by some drivers and also the haulage fee that are not being collected properly.
“We are going to ensure that this is going to be properly implemented and we are sure that we going to get more revenue for the state government.
“We are eagerly awaiting the implementation; we want the revenue to be collected and given to Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State to continue his developmental projects,” he said.
On behalf of his members, Alhaji Mohammed Mohammed, the chairman, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Dry Cargo, Gombe Unit said the initiative was great and would benefit transporters if properly implemented.
Mohammed said his members had over the years suffered double taxation through multiple issuance of stickers but “we may heave a sigh of relief if this is implemented.”
He said his members often spent over N350, 000 from Gombe to Calabar in Cross River State, just to settle the multiple check point demands manned by security operatives and some miscreants.
“This N350, 000 is just to settle security operatives and youths who also block roads as we transport maize, rice and beans to other parts of the country.
“This is not good for business and the agriculture sector.
“We use this opportunity to appeal to President Bola Tinubu to address this challenge as it will help bring down prices of transported agricultural produce,” he said.
