… To Repeal Internal Revenue Law, Others

Rivers State House of Assembly has gone through the first
Reading of the bill for a law to repeal and re-enact the State Board of
Internal Revenue law, Cap 16, 1999.

Presenting the bill at the floor of the House, on Monday,
the Leader of the Assembly Hon. Chidi Lloyd, said the proposal seeks to review
the revenue law of the state and bring it upto date.

Hon. Lloyd explained that the current law is now obsolete
and needs proper review to meet present realities, noting that the proposed law
intend to establish the rivers State Board of Internal revenue, State Internal
revenue Service, Local Government Revenue Committee and The Joint State Revenue
Committee.

The bill which has 86 clauses provides that the Governor
shall appoint the Chairman and members of the Board of the Internal revenue who
shall be person(s) knowledgeable and experienced in Tax matters.

The Tide learnt that the Chairman of the Board shall be the
Chief Executive and accounting officer of the Internal Revenue Service who
shall be responsible for the execution of tax policies of the government as
well as the day to day administration of the Internal Revenue service.

In another development, a bill for a law to establish the
Rivers state Waste Management Agency (RIVWAMA), has been introduced into the
State Assembly.

The draft law which has equally scaled its first reading
seeks to review the law establishing the State Environmental Sanitation
Authority.

Hon. Lloyd who told the lawmakers that he has personal
attachment to the bill, urged them to give the proposal accelerated passage,
pointing out that the aim of the review was to return Port Harcourt to its
Garden City status.

Meanwhile, following the passage of the bill on the State Education
Quality Assurance Agency, the State government has also proposed amendment to
the state Education law.

The Tide gathered that the reason was to aggregate all the
issues not covered by the Quality Assurance Agency bill and the existing
Education law of the state.

These issues would dominate discourse at the hallow chamber
when the lawmakers resume deliberations on October 9, 2012.