The Executive
Chairman of Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS), Mrs Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko has described sensitization as a major step in curbing tax evasion by the citizens of the state.
Obele-Oshoko said this in an interview with newsmen during the sensitization/road show programme organized by RIRS in Port Harcourt.
The Chairman who led the road match noted that the service had to embark on the compaign to raise the level of tax compliance in the state, adding that citizens are bound by law to pay tax to enable government embark of developmental projects.
“People are complying with the payment of tax in Rivers State but there are still those who are not paying. Government need the tax to carry out projects for the benefit of the citizens because your tax is your power”, she said.
In his contribution, the Director Ministries, Department and Agencies of Government (MDA), Mr. Austin Ntor-ue noted that tax payment was the only way government would be supported in working for the people.
Ntor-ue called on the citizens of the state to see tax payment as a necessity, adding that the visible transformational projects in Port Harcourt are good examples of tax payers money.
A staff of the Ministry of health, Mr. Brownson Wikor who received fliers from the sensitization team, noted that tax payment are necessities, stating that “if all the citizens pay tax, government would not be dependent on oil generated revenues”.
A student who pleaded anonymity said that tax payment is good but expressed concerned over the concentration of projects in the urban areas, adding that nothing is happening in the villages.
She called on government to also remember the rural areas in their development strides.
RIRS staff matched from forces Avenue, to Trans-Amadi through Aba Road for where the moved to Eastern-by-pass.

Kingsely Nna