The Management of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) has dismissed allegations of financial misconduct and lacklustre performance levied against the present administration of the agency.
Management described the June 18 post in an online media as “misleading and false” , and aimed at tarnishing present leadership.
The group under aegies of “Kogi Watchdogs” , last Thursday in a social media had alleged that the executive chairman of KGIRS ,Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe has compounded the problems of the revenue board by his doings and policies.
Among others , the group raises cases of victimization, unproductive trainings and workshops, illegal acquisition of property , misappropriation of taxpayers money and under reporting of collected revenue.
The “Kogi watchdog” claimed that the organization under his watch has sacked more than 15 staff of the organization for pardonable offences.
While addressing journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday at the revenue house, the management team stated that the Service operates within enabling laws that clearly defined rules , discipline , punishment and procedures guiding staff conduct , misconduct and administrative processes.
The KGIRS executive chairman who was represented by the organization’s Director of Income Tax, Mr. Emmanuel Yusufu noted that the management would have waved off the allegations with wards of hands, but for the sake of their teeming tax payers and the image of the organization, he decides to put the record straight.
The management absolved the Executive Chairman of wrong doings on the issues raised in the said publication, describing it as malicious, and should be disregarded in its entirety.
The management noted further that Dr Enehe was not directly involved in the termination drama as raised , stressing that investigation of staff misconduct is strictly rested on the Directorate of Legal Services(DLS), empowered by the enabling law of the establishment .
Yusuf stressed futher that the onus lies on the (DLS) to establish and reviews cases of misconduct , and makes recommendations to management for action as defined by the extant laws .
Yusuf added further that the sacked staff went through disciplinary procedures as defined by the enabling law , stressing that the management was so magnanimous to had given them soft landing, considering the weight of their offense .
“The executive chairman is opened to accountability, transparency and honesty in his dealings within the operation of the internal revenue service. He will not be reckless to shun issues that will wreck the organization.
“The Service maintains zero tolerance for indiscipline among staff in the organization. Staff postings and redeployments are routine administrative measures carried out in line with established policies, not at the discretion of any individual”, he said .
The KGIRS management denied claim that the Executive Chairman operates personal accounts for state funds.
According to Mr. Yusufu all revenue collections are paid into government-approved accounts, supervised by the Office of the State Accountant General.
“The Service maintains accounts across multiple banks strictly for ease of revenue collection, and all funds are remitted directly to the Kogi State Government. The Executive Chairman is not a signatory to any of these accounts.
” We don’t maintain an account outside the one approved by the state government. We don’t have control on any account. The chairman has no any account other than those approved by the government where fund are paid into. We challenge them to mention the bank ,if any “, he said .
The management assured that it will put the necessary machinery in motion to investigate and uncover the faceless group, and drag them before the law.
Meanwhile, the management disclosed that the monthly revenue generation has significantly increased under the current leadership, from just over N700 million in 2021 to more than N3.5 billion presently.