Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has inaugurated the Committee on the Assessment of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Withholding Tax for Local Government Councils and Parastatals Receiving Subventions from Government with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Prince F. C. Udensi as Chairman.
Other members of the Committee are Mrs. Joy Nwanju (Secretary), Mrs. Chioma Orikara, Chief Okezie Ugboaja and Mr. Ndubuisi Ago.
Inaugurating the Committee, at Government House Umuahia, Dr. Ikpeazu disclosed that Government could no longer fold its arms and watch its revenue get wasted.
The Governor, represented by the Chief of Staff, Dr. ACB Agbazuere decried a situation where people who claim that Government were owing them were actually the ones withholding revenue due to Government insisting that such would no longer be allowed to continue.
He enjoined them to discharge their duties conscientiously bearing in mind that their integrity would be tested considering the sensitive nature of their assignment without compromising the integrity for which made them to be assembled for the task.
Responding on behalf of other members, the Chairman of the Committee, Prince F. C. Udensi, who thanked the Governor for finding them qualified to do the ‘highly sensitive assignment,’ promised that they would do their part to make sure they realize the purpose for which the committee was see up.
The Committee has 21 days to submit its report on the following Termserms of Reference:
1. To review the implementation of PAYE and withholding tax policy in the local govt administration of the State.
2. To ascertain the remittance of PAYE and withholding tax by all the local govt authorities in Abia State to the Board of Internal Revenue.
3. To recommend a process that will ensure regular remittance of PAYE and withholding tax by all the local govt areas and parastatals.
4. Assess the level of compliance of tax remittance by all institutions receiving subventions from the State Government such ABSUTH, ASUBEB, HMB, ASOPADEC, Abia polytechnic, ABSU etc.
5. To institute, come up with a process or
Design a framework for sustainability in the collection of PAYE or that would guarantee regular remittance of PAYE and withholding tax to the BIR
6. To recommend to govt other avenues that they think would improve the collection of PAYE and withholding tax and improve the revenue of the State and ensure that nobody is withholding what belongs to the State.
The inauguration was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary Government House, Mr. Odoemelam, former Permanent Secretary and Special Adviser to the Governor Elder Agbai, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media and Publicity, Mr. Ubani Newman Ubani, among other top Government functionaries.
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