The success story of KGIRS under the watch of Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe
—The re-engineering dynamics that culminates into a phenomenal success story of effective tax administration in Kogi State.
By Otori Ozigi
It goes without saying that the story of tax administration in Kogi State is a mixed bag of fortunes.
True, tax administration in Kogi State have a long history of poor, good and excellent score cards in IGR monthly performance under various administrations.
It is noteworthy that before the coming into office of the former Executive Governor of Kogi State,Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello in 2016,tax administration in the state was a dismal and miserable trajectory of IGR performance in the neighborhood of 300 million naira per month averagely.
This poor performance was consistently the recurring decimal in the then Bord of Internal Revenue service.
It took the decisive, visionary and pragmatic steps of Alhaji Yahaya Bello to turn the story into a huge success.
First ,he appointed Alhaji Yakabu Oseni, a seasoned banker and financial guru with the First Bank PLC to begin the repositioning process.of the then service.
Within the shortest possible time,the story of the service changed dramatically and satisfactoryly.
The monthly IGR performance rose significantly from the paltry 300million maria to above N1.3B throughout his tenure in office, before he resigned to contest for the 2019 Kogi Central Senatorial seat,which he won overwhelmingly.
Following his departure, another seasoned banker and financial expert,Mallam Inda Aliu was headhunted as the new Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
It is instructive to recall that he was also able to maintain the tempo and even improved on it as the Service was generating over N1.3B monthly IGR performance.
However,Mallam Aliu ran into troubled waters as he was removed unceremoniously for alleged financial infraction.
The man who took over from Mallam Aliu, had a short stay in office as the IGR monthly performance nosedived significantly to about 750 million naira.
Recall that the search for a competent, knowledgeable and capable hand began in earnest.
It was against this background, that the lot now fell on Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe,a Chattered Accountant turned Tax Administrator, with high integrity and capacity to deliver impressive results.
Since his assumption in office,Alhaji Sule have not disappointed as he is churning out highly impressive IGR performance in the neighborhood of N1.5B till date.
Little wonder therefore, that the new face of tax administration in Kogi State,Alhaji Sule got his appointment confirmed as the Executive Chairman of the service to continue his good work.
In keeping with his reputation as a man with the Midas touch, and a round peg in a round hole,the KGIRS boss,who was a former Director Tax Audit and Compliance unit with the service, has repositioned the Service for effective tax collection and tax payers satisfaction.
Recall that tax payers in the state are now filling their tax papers willingly without prompting.
In 2022,KGIRS under his watch generated over N18B, just as it generated over N23 N in the year 2023.
The service is now poised to meet the all time high target of N30.4B as projected in the 2024 budget by the State Government.
To achieve this feat,Alhaj Sule is leveraging on technology and human capital development, as all areas of leakages have been blocked.
He has created the enabling environment for the workforce to become more productive and committed to diligent and effective tax collection with a human face.
Recall that a new law against multiple taxes collection have been put in place to give legal teeth to ongoing war on illegal tax collection in the state.
On the whole,it is crystal clear that Allhaji Sule is on a mission to change the face of tax administration in Kogi state in the years ahead.
Yes.the full benefits of his academic pedigree and professional resume are being felt as he continues to pilot the affairs of KGIRS.
He is on the right track and things can always get better in the years ahead.
Otori Ozigi,a Veteran Journalist and PR Consultant,writes from Okene,Kogi State.
08073295000–SMS only.