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The Executive Secretary of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr. Olusegun Adesokan, has called on governments at the sub-national level to grant full operational autonomy to state internal revenue services.

Mr. Adesokan made the call during a courtesy visit to the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS) on Wednesday, 21st February, stating that JTB will sustain the advocacy for the autonomy of IRS in states.
He said States' internal revenue services with full autonomy were doing well.

"JTB will join the advocacy for full autonomy for Internal Revenue Services across the country because we have seen that IRS with full autonomy are performing optimally."
While commending the Akwa Ibom state government for providing top-class infrastructure to show for taxes paid by citizens, he urged the government to give AKIRS more support to implement full autonomy.

"I have seen taxpayers' money at work in Akwa Ibom state. From the airport down to the city center, I could feel the serenity and appreciate the aesthetics, and the infrastructure. I commend the government for doing so much. Let me also commend AKIRS for working hard to improve the IGR of the state year-on-year.

"I still believe that there are areas the Internal Revenue Service can improve on given full autonomy. We want the autonomy granted to AKIRS to be pragmatic, practical, and practicable."

Adesokan said JTB is working with the federal government to ensure real-time remittance of PAYE tax of federal civil servants to the government of their states of residence, pledging to support AKIRS, especially in the sharing of useful data that will help it in the collection of more revenue.

The Executive Chairman, AKIRS, Mr. Okon Okon, lauded the initiative of the Secretary of JTB to visit States' Internal Revenue Services for a peer review, which he noted will strengthen collaboration for more productivity.

Mr. Okon said AKIRS has recorded significant improvement in IGR collection since 2017 due to the autonomy granted to the service, adding that the agency was working towards implementing all the components of the autonomy for more efficiency and productivity.

He pledged the continued support of AKIRS to the JTB and the growth of the tax profession."