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Use Of POS Machines Has Blocked Tax Leakages, Says BIRS Chief

By Joseph Wantu, Makurdi 
13 February 2016   |   12:49 am
THE Executive Chairman, Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mrs. Mimi Adzape Orubibi, has said that introduction of point of sale (POS) device in collecting taxes has helped immensely in blocking leakages that were hitherto the order of the day in the state.

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THE Executive Chairman, Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mrs. Mimi Adzape Orubibi, has said that introduction of point of sale (POS) device in collecting taxes has helped immensely in blocking leakages that were hitherto the order of the day in the state.

Orubibi, who made the revelation in her office while speaking with The Guardian, noted that the integrated collection system device has also resulted to a sharp rise in internal revenue for the state devoid of any exploitation.

She maintained that though the device has only been introduced in the state capital and other few places, benefits have been derived from the device, as it has helped curbed diversion of tax collected for the state government.

“We have just introduced the device for a start only in Makurdi. We intend to also introduce it in schools and all the 23 local government areas of the state.

So, I believe when this is done, the N1.5 billion targets given to us will be met,”she said.Reacting to the public outcry that the tax rates have become outrageous, the BIRS boss said the board has not introduced new charges, adding that the board is working strictly within the ambit of the law of the federation.

“We are aware of the economic realities which have resulted to the hardship on the people.Therefore, we cannot do anything to bring more hardship on them by arbitrary increasing tax charges. Those complaining are people looking for opportunity to evade tax payment. To pay and get tax clearance is in accordance with the law,”Orubibi said.

She highlighted some of the challenges facing the board to include lack of cooperation from some government institutions to embrace the POS system, inadequate trained manpower to handle the device and improper records keeping by organisations and individuals to enable staff effectively carry out their tax collecting responsibilities.

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