Assembly Confirms DBIR, CSC Members Appointment

The confirmed nominees as members of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, yesterday, assured Deltans that the Board would pursue her internally generated revenue with all vigour and survive as a state without relying on the Federal Government allocation monthly.

The Chairman nominee , Monday Onyeme, gave the assurance while answering questions from the lawmakers during the screening exercise of the members of the Board at the hallowed chamber of the state legislature in Asaba yesterday.

Onyeme, a Chartered Accountant, assured that under the incoming Board, Delta State will surpass the feat of Lagos State that generates 70 percent of its annual budget internally, assuring that the incoming Board under his watch would work towards achieving that feat.

According to him, there is a Federal Government Tax Law that compares every employee working in a state to pay his or tax to the state of resident, saying the law empowers the Board to bring all Federal Government employees working in the state to the state tax net.

“There are some employees working in the Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies (MDA) in Delta State that have not been captured in the tax net of the state government. We will tax all employees working in Delta State and bring them to the tax net to boost the internally generated revenue (IGR) of our dear state”, Onyeme assured.

He said the companies operating in the state that are not paying rent to the state government would be compelled to pay rent to the state government through the tax net.

Onyeme said the Board would also boost her IGR through ground rent that constitute 20 percent of her IGR, adding that the Board would partner with other agencies to ensure that all buildings in the state have Certificate of Occupancy “C” of “O” aimed at providing revenue to the state government.

While answering questions on behalf of other members of the Board in attendance, he assured that all hotels and event centres would be brought to the tax net of the state.

The House presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya confirmed the Chairman, Sir Monday Onyeme alongside Barr Mike Edegware (Secretary), while Mr. Goddey Iwebuke Daniel, Hon. Solomon Oghrakpata and Mr. Barry Gbe to serve as members of the Board of Internal Revenue.

The motion for the confirmation of the nominees for appointment as members of the Board of Internal Revenue was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Tim Owhefere and seconded by the member representing Burutu 11 Constituency, Hon. Kennedy Daubry.