The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS) on Thursday announced plans to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target from N45 billion to N60 billion in 2020.

Dr Zaid Abubakar, the agency’s Executive Chairman, made this known at a meeting with stakeholders in local government revenue administration in Kaduna.

He said that the agency increased the target to a higher threshold with a view to pushing all revenue generating ministries, departments and agencies to meet their 2020 targets.

“The revenue is there for us to collect, but we can only do that when we are all on the same page and if we all play our part.

“Given the IGR potential in the state, I am very confident that we will be able to collect more than N45 billion at the end of 2020, even if we couldn’t achieve our N60 billion target.

“We have put all the necessary strategy in place and this meeting is one of them, designed to garner the support and cooperation of relevant stakeholders in local government revenue administration.

“This will enable us to collect all the revenues that are out there to collect,” the executive chairman said.

He said that the objective of the meeting was to address issues relating to local government revenue administration in the state, to boost revenue collection at local level.

Abubakar identified the key stakeholders to include the Local Government Chairmen, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant General, Planning and Budget Commission, and Ministry for Local Government.

NAN quotes Abubakar as saying: “These are the major stakeholders that have issues regarding revenue assessment, enforcement, collection and reimbursement of the revenue collected.

“We are here to resolve all issues regarding revenue collection at local levels so that we get the necessary assistance and support from the local government chairmen come 2020,” the executive chairman said.

Abubakar said that the agency also signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after high profile individuals who had been withholding tax.

He said that KDIRS would use the provisions of the law to enforce revenue collection in the state.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area, Mr Nasara Rabo, appealed to the ministry of finance to ensure timely remittance of revenues collected to the LGAs, to boost revenue drive.

According to him, regular remittance of the revenues, including 10 per cent of all revenue collected in the state to local councils, would encourage the chairmen to do more.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Murtala Dabo, apologised for the delay in remittance and promised that the ministry would clear all outstanding remittances before the end of the year.