Following alleged leakages, Niger State governor Mohammed Umar Bago has directed the termination of appointments of all consultants, service providers, and contractors in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) enforcement and collection currently engaged by the State Internal Revenue Service and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.
It was gathered that the decision of the government may not be unconnected with the discoveries that some of the revenue consultants were promoted by some “untouchable” top members of the immediate past administration allegedly creating leakages in the collection of the designated revenues in most of the agencies.
Grow your business with us
It was also learnt that there were many consultants engaged by the previous administration to improve the revenue base of the state but it has not yielded the desired results even as the chairman of the revenue service who assumed office in 2021 tried to streamline and improve the operation of the consultants and the service.
The secretary to the state government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman, in a statement yesterday, disclosed that Governor Umar Bago ordered the termination of their engagements with immediate effect.
The SSG said the government’s decision to terminate their services is aimed at enhancing the efficiency and transparency of revenue collection processes within the state.
Usman stressed that the measure is part of the broader efforts by the present administration to ensure a more organised and accountable revenue generation system, adding that it would also foster sustainable economic growth in the state.
He requested those affected by the termination to return all government properties including official vehicles and other relevant documents in their possession to the permanent secretary or the most senior director in their respective organisations, without delay.