By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) and members of the Association of Hotel Owners in the state would synergize on ease of doing business and ways to improve internally generated revenue (IGR) in the state.

Speaking at a parley between the duo organisations, the Executive Chairman of the KWIRS, Mrs. Shade Omoniyi, who was represented by the Director, Administration and Operations, Olatunji Balogun, Director, Legal and Compliance, Shehu Mogaji, said that the parley aimed to address ways in which both parties could enjoy more productive relationships through the creation of an atmosphere that would enable ease of doing business and also improve the IGR of the state.

The meeting, which was hosted by the Revenue Agency, also had in attendance representatives from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology, Kwara State Fire Service, Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency and Ministry of Communication.

Meanwhile, the Association of Hotel Owners, through its President and Secretary, Alhaji Dauda Akande, Babatunde Oladunmoye, respectively, has appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to save hotel business in the state from collapse.

The association said the appeal became imperative in the face of alleged harassment, extortion and unlawful locking up of hotels without court order by the members of revenue task force set up by the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS).

The Association called for a stop to payment of 50% of Hotel Tourism registration fees as annual renewal fees, saying that, “this amounts to re-registering of hotels every two years. Registration renewal fees should not be more than 25% of the initial registration fees.

He said: “Fixing of taxes and levies should involve those who will pay, those who will collect (KWIRS) and the MDAs to prevent unnecessary friction and rancor.

“KWIRS should stop locking up of hotels without court order since they cannot be the judge in their own case. They should follow due process in all tax matters to prevent us from approaching a court of competent jurisdiction for redress if locking up of the hotels of our members without due process continues.

“Our association is a responsible corporate citizen of Kwara state providing employment opportunities for Kwarans”.