THE Taraba State government has raised alarm over cases of fake tax collectors in the state.
The state, through its Board of Internal Revenue, warned all persons diverting government-generated revenue to personal accounts to desist or face the law.
Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue, Jeremiah Faransa, called on the public to be wary of fake tax collectors and pay their taxes only to the state’s treasury single account.
The Taraba State Governor
Agbu Kefas inaugurated the Board of Internal Revenue on June 19, with a mandate to enhance revenue collection mechanisms in the state.
Faransa disclosed that some people were short-changing the state government of its locally generated revenue by creating fictitious receipts and transferring taxes to personal accounts.
“The board’s goal is to stop leaks and harmonise the state’s internal revenue collection into the government’s treasury single account for the benefit of the people”, urging people who engage in such acts to stop or face the consequences.
Faransa further advised the public to pay their taxes into the state’s treasury single account rather than in cash and to be cautious of shady tax collectors.
The ICIR reported that Taraba State recently witnessed tax crises that brewed in the markets of Ardo Kola and Gassol communities.
As a result, locals and business owners in the affected areas staged protests against several taxes that they saw as being unfair and exorbitant.
Government officials have also been accused of mismanagement and corruption in tax collection processes.
Many taxpayers vowed to resist any attempt to force them to pay taxes, promising never to do so again.
The communities demanded responsibility, justice, and openness in the tax system in the state.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State government has discovered 864 civil servants receiving two to three salaries monthly.
This followed an investigation by the state’s head of civil service.
The results were released in a statement by the office of the Head of Civil Service in the state.
A reporter with the ICIR
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