CRIRS COMMENCES SENSITIZATION CAMPAIGN FOR VOLUNTARY TAX COMPLIANCE

By Anita Ekpenyong

The Cross River Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS) has commenced a sensitization and enlightenment campaign of the tax-paying public to secure their buy-in for Voluntary Tax Compliance in the State.

The Executive Chairman Cross River Internal Revenue Service (CRIRS), Mr. Akpanke Ando Ogar who stated this recently during a press conference held at Hit FM, Calabar said that the Campaign is Part of efforts by the Service to reposition and redefine its relationship with tax payers in the State.

He added that the Campaign is designed to improve the CRIRS's tax base; increase the number of Tax Payers in the informal and structured sectors of the State's economy as well as improving the collection of taxes from the informal sector.

According to the CRIRS Boss, the campaign would also aim to acquaint Tax Payers with various modern means to Tax payment, including online platforms and other channels towards growing compliance levels among the populace. "We will deploy a robust social media platform in reaching out to tax payers and have a viable feedback mechanism to address grievances from tax payers". He said.

Mr. Ogar also stated that the campaign will last for 9 months (January to September, 2019) during which various mass media platforms, including the electronic media and bill boards, will be utilized to disseminate information on Tax payment; its benefits to the overall well-being of the indigenes of the State and why voluntary Tax Compliance was the best option for every well-meaning citizen.

He added that the CRIRS's target was to grow the tax base by increasing the compliance level from its current 8 percent to about 30 percent within the period of the campaign.

The Chairman listed some achievements recorded by the Department to include; sustaining the trends of revenue generation in the state deepening collaboration and partnership with stakeholders at both state and local government levels with international development partners - the World Bank/State and Local Governance Programme (SLOGOR) project, automation of records, processes and services, improvements in data management, and improving staff morale as well as improving tax education and enlightenment.

The Press Conference was climaxed with question and answer session on check mating the excesses of tax invaders, deliberating on the major source of revenue generation in the State, a call for a comprehensive data base for proper tax collection among others.

The CRIRS is the revenue collection agency of the Cross River State and has since its inception, launched various dynamic initiatives aimed at actualizing its vision of being the leading revenue collection services in Nigeria, towards facilitating the overall development of Cross River State.