The Rivers State Internal Revenue Services (RIRS) says it has concluded the plans to commence intensive revenue drive in the informal sector from the first of July 2019.
The Executive Chairman of RIRS, Chief Adoage Norteh disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders in the informal sector at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt last weekend.
The Chairman, who assured a transparent tax system in the state, said all payments in the new tax regime would be collected on one platform in an integrated ICT system that would checkmate the infiltration of quacks in the Rivers Tax system.
He said that revenue zones would be created in the state to ascertain the various categories of tax payers and enhance a properly regulated tax compliance system.
The chairman stated that a multi-sectoral committee would be constituted to drive the policy to achieve set targets and check leakages in the state  revenue system.
He called on the various unions  and organisations to submit the list of their members for verification, while non union members would be treated on individual basis.
RIRS boss cautioned tax payers in the  state against patronising touts, noting that such actions would not exonerate them from paying their accumulated tax.
The chairman also raised concern over the tendency of local governments and other bodies using RIRS as a cover to collect revenue, noting that RIRS was poised to sanitise the Rivers tax system.
“We don’t drive taxes with vests or ID cards,we operate on a thoroughly verified process of  demand notice, we don’t collect cash, any person that comes to ask of cash is a tout and should be treated as a criminal”, he said.
The meeting was attended by members of the Port Harcourt Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture ( PHCCIMA), Drivers union, and other stakeholders in the informal sector.

Beemene Taneh