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RSG Biometric Capture 44,435 Workers …Drags 5,342 Firms, 101,500 Individuals Into Tax Net …As Wike Uses ICT To Boost Service Delivery, Create Jobs

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Two years after deployment, the Rivers State Government developed online portal, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’, has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries, departments and agencies.
The portal, which works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system, also identified 1,031 civil servants as having retired between January and May this year.
The government further said that the essence of the platform was to build an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) backbone to boost service delivery and create jobs for teeming unemployed youth in the state.
The media consultant working on the project, Maple Dappa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, added that the scheme was a conscious and deliberate effort geared towards creating a knowledge-based economy, designed to improve service delivery, create jobs and opportunities for the teeming youth population.
Dappa said these investments have basically centred on the development and deployment of database management and administration system in the areas of public service, tax collection, the education sector, court-related processes and activities as well as the development and deployment of an employment portal.
He said ICT has long been identified as having the potential to better the lots of developing countries like Nigeria, if fully maximized, especially in driving business opportunities, pushing for inclusion, fostering transparency, and impacting areas like healthcare, the financial sector, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Dappa named the tax collection system in the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) as a major area of breakthrough where maximum impact has so far been achieved.
He said the RIRS was about managing most of its tax processes and tax clearance certificate process online.
According to him, “For years, Rivers State was plagued with stories of multiple taxation, tax evasion and avoidance, tax refunds, poor tax administration.
“To tackle this, the government introduced the Rivers State Tax Management Information System (RivTaMiS), an online platform that provides taxpayers and tax administrators a convenient and effective means of paying and managing taxes and tax information.
“It also enables task payers to own and have their task records.
“Set up as a collaboration between the Rivers State ICT Department and the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RSIRS), by May this year, the platform had registered 5,342 tax-paying organizations and 101, 500 individual taxpayers.
“Out of this number of paying organizations, 2,800 have filed annual returns and 408 making tax clearance certificates via the RivTaMiS platform”, Dappa said.
On ghost worker syndrome that has bedevilled the system over the decades, Dappa said: “The government developed an online portal called, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’. The portal works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system.
“Since it came into effect two years ago, the system has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries and 1,031 of them identified as retired between January and May this year”, Dappa says.
Dappa said the ICT scheme has also helped to change the narrative of the creeks of the state.
“Riv-TechCreek is poised to deliver quality ICT innovations (products and services) through learning, creating and connection in the Niger Delta region and beyond,” says Dappa.
Dappa says since last year, TechCreek has trained over 4,000 people in total, including children during holidays, young adults, teachers, young professionals and civil servants. Training focuses on areas such as database administration, coding, animation, designs, robotics, as well as third-party trainings hosted at the TechCreek facility housed inside the Rivers ICT department building in Port Harcourt.
In education, the Rivers State Education Information Management System (RivEMiS) was set up to remove a hitherto existing manual system that made the management of the sector rigorous, the government said.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nyesom Wike on ICT, Ibifuro Asawo, said, “At present, RivEMis is used to manage the procedures for registering a new school, renewing existing registrations, schools’ inspection and approvals, transfer certificates, registration for state-wide examinations like the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and certificate printing. Beyond that, it tracks the registration of private and public schools, enrolment of pupils and students in both private and public schools”.
According to him, “the result has been the tracking of 4,335 schools, with 2,618 being private schools while 1,717 are public.
“About 67,523 candidates who have registered for state’s 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination in 867 private and public schools across the 23 local governments of the state have been captured using the system.”
He talked about employment scalability, adding that over 19,000 job seekers were trained.
The state’s ICT team created RivsJobs, an online portal that serves as a convergence for employers of labour and jobseekers.
“Upon appropriate research and findings, the Rivers State Jobs (RivJobs) website was developed and deployed as an online platform that connects job seekers with prospective employers.
“The key agenda is to create a robust online portal that connects employers to talents and serves as the dashboard for monitoring job creation and employment activities in the state.
“The RivJobs portal enables employers and companies to register and advertise for available jobs while allowing job seekers to find suitable opportunities for employment. To further improve the chances of getting job seekers their preferred jobs, various employability trainings were conducted for registered jobseekers,” says Asawo.
Asawo, added that digital developments underway to be deployed include: Rivers State Health Management Information System (RivHMiS), Rivers State Court Management Information System for the judiciary (RivCoMiS), Rivers State Integrated Lands, Urban and Housing Management Information system (RivILUHMiS), a state website, portal and a digital application for information dissemination, a policy to oversee the use of ICT in the state and a ‘Linkage and Partnerships’ initiative that would basically work to partner with technology giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft on ways to empower youths and create opportunities.

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INEC To Unveil New Party Registration Portal As Applications Hit 129

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.

According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.

“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.

“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.

The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.

Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.

“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.

“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.

“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.

“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.

In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.

 

 

 

 

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Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills Into Law …Says Nigeria Open For Business 

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President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.

The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.

The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.

The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.

The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.

“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.

Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.

Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”

Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”

He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.

“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.

According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”

He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.

The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.

However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.

At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.

They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.

After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.

By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.

In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.

“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.

“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.

He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.

The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.

“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”

 

 

 

 

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Senate Issues 10-Day Ultimatum As NNPCL Dodges ?210trn Audit Hearing 

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The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.

Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.

However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.

Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.

A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.

It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.

The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.

“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.

“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

But lawmakers rejected the request.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.

“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.

“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.

Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.

The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”

Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.

The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.

Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.

The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.

 

 

 

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