The Katsina State Internal Revenue Service (KTIRS) has revealed its ambitious plan to achieve a whopping N40 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target for the 2024 fiscal year. This disclosure was made by the Chairman, Isiyaku Muhammad, during a crucial meeting with local council chairmen and stakeholders in Katsina.
Muhammad emphasized that this move is a critical part of the Dikko Radda’s administration’s efforts to bolster revenue collection in the state. The primary objective behind this target is to ensure that the state government can cover all its recurrent expenditure solely through IGR, without relying on federal allocation.
Expressing concern about the current state ranking in terms of revenue generation across the nation, Muhammad highlighted, “The state falls among the six states in the country that cannot stand on its feet without the federal allocation, a situation that is quite disturbing.” He further pointed out that the state’s poor revenue collection has resulted in a significant loss of approximately 70% of revenues, necessitating more effective collection and recording methods.
In pursuit of this ambitious target, the state government has implemented the use of Point-of-Sale (POS) devices in tax collection. Moreover, Muhammad emphasized that local government revenue generation is classified as third-party funds, and only the board has the right to access them. According to the law, no one else is authorized to collect tax or levy, except the board.
As the KTIRS sets its sights on significantly improving Katsina’s ranking in the national IGR chart by 2024, Muhammad urged cooperation from the Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), local government councils, and other stakeholders to achieve this laudable goal.
With several council chairmen expressing their commitment to support the board in achieving the set objectives, it is evident that the state’s journey towards financial self-sufficiency is now bolstered by a determined resolve.
This bold step taken by the Katsina State Internal Revenue Service underscores a resolute pursuit of financial independence, signaling the dawn of a new era for sustainable economic growth and development within Katsina state.
