- Sets N130bn Target In 2025
BY ANDREW IKEHI
AS part of efforts aimed at shoring-up its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile, the Delta State Government (DTSG) says it is targeting in excess of N130 billion IGR revenue in the 2025 fiscal year.
This is coming as Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service, Hon. (Chief ) Solomon Ighrakpata said it has, within the past 10 months-January to October 2024, generated in excess of N122bn as against the N110bn target in the current fiscal year, representing about 130 per cent increase in the projected revenue target.
The Executive Chairman, Delta State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Hon. (Chief) Solomon Ighrakpata who disclosed this while speaking with journalists shortly after appearing before the Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation for the defence of the board’s 2025 appropriation, attributed the success story of the board to a number of factors which bothered largely on the renewed willingness of Deltans and residents of the State towards tax payments.
This, according to Ighrakpata, who spoke through the board’s Executive Director (Operations), Dr. Frank Nwugo, was occasioned by the fact that Deltans can now see, feel and attest to the fact that their taxes were being churned into meaningful infrastructural development in the State.
According to Hon. Ighrakpata, following the peoples’ renewed confidence in the positive results of their taxes, the monthly revenue collection in the State had leapfrogged from the staggering N9bn in 2023 to over N12bn in 2024.
While expressing the hope of increased positive results in terms of tax compliance in the upcoming fiscal year, the BIRS boss said that the board, under his watch, would continue to strengthen its collaboration with relevant stakeholders and tax payers in the state towards ensuring that it achieves or, perhaps surpass the set target of N130bn in the next fiscal year. He said, “We just concluded our defence with the Assembly committee on Finance and Appropriation and, I can tell you that it was indeed, successful.
“The board, by the grace of God, set a target of N110bn for the 2024 fiscal year. But as at October 2024, we had collected over N122bn, which is about 130 per cent increase on the annual budget.
“In 2023, the board was collecting an average of N9bn monthly, but in 2024, our average collection was over N12bn monthly.
“This is as a result of the fact that Deltans are seeing their tax money being utilised by the government. You can agree with me that this government has (done), (is) doing wonderfully well in terms of infrastructural development.
“It is visible, obvious, copious and seeable that the government of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has been wonderful. A visit to the three senatorial districts of the State will show you massive infrastructure such as road network, bridges, among others that is currently ongoing.
“That, no doubt the fact, has motivated tax payers to do the needful by ensuring that their taxes were paid regularly and as when due” Ighrakpata said.
He lauded the State legislature for providing the board with requisite legal and legislative backing which he said were instrumental to the board’s success story.
The budget defence session, The Pointer reports, was presided over by the Chairman, Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation and member representing Ika North East state Constituency, Hon Marylyn Okowa-Daramola, flanked by other members of the Committee.
