Benin city – It has been asserted that among the 36 states in Nigeria, Edo State is among the few that are not bankrupt.
National Vice President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Comrade Joe Aligbe made the assertion during the state branch of the association’s visit to the executive chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Chief Oseni Elamah in Benin City.
Comrade Aligbe who noted that any state trapped in an administrative bottleneck cannot operate effectively, stated that while other states are not able to pay workers salaries, Edo State was fulfilling its salary obligation to workers regularly.
The Edo State Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Comrade Joe Amokhai said their visit was to discuss issues affecting their members with the EIRS boss.
He commended the EIRS management team for ensuring sanity in the tax administration of the state.
Amokhai asserted that when change or development occurs, there is need to appreciate and put things in the right perspective.
He appreciated chief Elamah’s professional initiative towards bringing transformational progress to bear in the revenue sector, which he said, has helped to optimize the state revenue profile from about N400m to an average of N1.5 billion monthly.
In his response Chief Elamah acknowledged that there has been a robust relationship between the management team of EIRS and staff.
Chief Elamah who was represented by Hon John Obazee said one of the basic reforms in the revenue administration was geared towards taking the EIRS out of the civil service structure, such that it becomes an autonomous agency enacted by the state House of Assembly.
He said the status of the revenue agency as clearly spelt out in the enacted law gives the EIRS the responsibility to hire and discipline its staff in view of optimum performance.
Gov. Oshiomhole
