The Delta State Internal Revenue Service and its board bill has scaled through second reading on the floor of the State House of Assembly.
The second reading of the bill was passed after a robust debate on the merits of the proposed law at Wednesday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
The Majority Leader of the House, Hon Tim Owhefere, representing Isoko North Constituency who moved the motion for the second reading of the bill, also led the debate on the merits of the bill.
Hon Owhefere said the Executive bill was aimed at perfecting the revenue generating laws in Delta State in line with what obtains globally.
The Lawmaker stated that the bill is to provide enabling law for the establishment of an Internal Revenue Service in the state with sole responsibility of complete supervision of all that have to do with taxes and revenue generation in the state.
The Majority Leader drew attention to clauses three and four of the bill, saying that the creation of a board that would oversee the revenue service has been provided in the proposed law.
While appealing for speedy completion of all the processes for the speedy passage of the bill, the Majority Leader stressed that the proposed law would help broaden the sources of revenue in the state.
In their contributions, Honourables Pat Ajudua, Solomon Ighrakpata, Oboro Preyor, Anthony Elekeokwuri, Rueben Izeze, Matthew Opuoro and Austin Chikezie, maintained that there was the need to deepen the processes of revenue generation in the state.
The Lawmakers stated that the advent of the Covid 19 pandemic have threw up greater challenges to the survival of states, noting that there was the need to think outside the box as revenue from oil had continued to go down.
They emphasized that taxes and revenue generation base of the state must be enhanced and enabling law was needed if the state must succeed in that regards.
The lawmakers explained further that the general framework of the bill would grant complete autonomy to the state revenue service, stating the proposed law will address all the lacuna in the existing revenue laws in the state.
They described the bill as timely as there was no better time for such bill than now that the global community is being threatened by economic crisis.
The bill has been referred to the joint committee on Special Bill and Public Account for scrutiny and to report back on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
