Tax Justice, KIRS pledge to address gaps in tax system
Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJGP) and the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) have pledged to make concerted efforts to address gaps in the state’s tax system.
The pledge was made on Wednesday during a joint quarterly review meeting to assess the effectiveness of the state’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
Dr. Muhammad Mustapha Yahaya, TJGP State Coordinator, stated that the primary goal of the review is to assess the collated data on GRM, analyze progress, identify weaknesses and opportunities for improvement, and prioritize actions to strengthen the mechanism.
“We gathered stakeholders from KIRS and the media today to review the data we collated on GRM, as well as analyze the data to see where we have improved and where we need to improve. And if there’s any challenges to see how we can overcome it. This marks the end-of-year meeting,” he said
He commended KIRS for implementing TJGP’s suggestions and dedicating staff and resources to grievance redressal.
“Now, anyone can access complaint data, payment information, and other valuable resources on the KIRS website, an improvement over past years,” he noted.
However, Dr. Mustapha highlighted ongoing challenges, “While KIRS has made a lot of progress, a gap persists between taxes collected and what is due. Many businesses still operate outside the tax net.”
Rabiu Saleh RiminGado, Head of Corporate Communication for KIRS, while speaking acknowledged the gaps.
“Although we received over 600 complaints this year and addressed more than 500, we understand there’s more to be done,” he said.
He pledged KIRS commitment to resolving identified issues before the next quarter of 2024.
“We’ll enhance our website and platforms for easier access and address all identified deficiencies before next quarter’s review.”
He encouraged citizens to utilize KIRS hotlines (08067597629 and 08177416260) and social media platforms to voice their concerns.
Mr. RiminGado, further lauded Tax Justice and Governance Platform for their continuous support in taxes related issues.
Tax Justice and Governance Platform is an international organization working in the area of revenue generation tax for service, tax justice as well as tax sensitization.
