"Says no hiding place for racketeers of fake receipts"
The Acting Chairman, Benue State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Emmanuel Agema,ACTI, on Friday, 4th August, 2023, met with some officials of different trader unions in the state to discuss issues concerning their members and the service in regards to payment and collection of revenue in the state.
The chairman, who was delighted having them, extended his appreciation to the groups for attending the meeting.
He stated that the meeting was necessary for him to interact with the unions following his appointment by the Executive Governor of the state, HE Hyacinth Alia, and also update them with some of the new measures introduced by his administration as well as know their plights with the aim of solving them.
He further stated that, regarding the notorious issue of illegal checkpoints in the state, He has directed that all staff of the service operating at the gazetted revenue inspection/monitoring points must carry and display their staff Identity cards and wear the BIRS reflective jackets whenever on duty so as to clearly distinguish them.
He also told the union members that, all receipts issued to tax payers now must be thump-printed at the back and signed by the issuers with his or her phone number and date.
This measure, the Chairman said is to properly check the unabating issue of fake receipts in circulation.
Also, The chairman emphasized that the collection of unreceipted gate pass from traders and motorists was illegal, saying his administration frowns against such collections, and any Staff found flaunting this directive will face the full wrath of the law.
He therefore called on all the Marketers to report such cases to the management when faced with these requests.
Speaking more on the issue of fake receipts, Mr. Agema maintained that any Marketer who patronises any agent other than BIRS staff, will be arrested, the vehicle impounded until proper payments are made. And those involved arrested.
The chairman also reiterated that BIRS Staff do not issue receipts to agents to collect revenue on behave of the service and he is ready to prosecute any staff involved in such practice.
In his speech on behalf of the unions, Mr Alex Avakaa the President, Benue State Almagamated, made an appeal to the management to reduce the cost of taxes on certain items in the revenue law and stated that when the cost is reduced, more revenue will be generated for the state.
He also appealed that operators of illegal checkpoints be arrested and prosecuted.
He also advised that the Meeting between BIRS and Traders Union should be made a routine , inorder to assess, evaluate problems that affect revenue generation and provide possible solutions to these problems, which the Chairman promised to look into.
Jacintha Benard Mrp
Media Assistant to the Executive Chairman, BIRS
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