*Says allegation baseless, imaginary
By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The management of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) has debunked an online medium report alleging mismanagement of funds at the agency, describing it as imaginary, total falsehood and an exercise in futility.
A statement by the Head, Corporate Affairs of KW-IRS in Ilorin, the state capital,, Titilayomi Ogunwale, which condemned the weight of bile and determination of some persons to rubbish the Service for their selfish gains, said: “What keeps us above the malicious intent and envy is our professionalism, transparency, and the huge gains so far made in raising the bar in revenue generation and good ethics.”
According to the agency’s spokesperson, KW-IRS, unlike in the previous regime, is today subject to strict fiscal discipline and monitoring at higher levels, adding that it does not control its spending nor does it handle any funds anymore, which she noted was an improvement in prudence, transparency and accountability.
She said: “While the Service still lawfully engages consultancy firms like all revenue agencies in the world, the management is proud to have ended the era of bogus and often-opaque consultancy fees of the past. Within the past three years alone, the KW-IRS has saved taxpayers a humongous N3.9b in what could have gone to consultancies of all kinds if the former platforms had been retained.
“The savings from what was paid as consultancy before are now ploughed back to the public treasury for investment and development projects. It is this transparency and patriotic act of the present Management that are being twisted by the detractors who are not used to such culture.”
Reiterating that the Executive Chairman and Management Team of KW-IRS have made corporate governance and due diligence their watchwords, Ogunwale added that they would continue to enforce the doctrine to the letter in public interest.
She added: “This possibly explains the relentless attacks on the government and KW-IRS. We are not deterred.
“The Service is aware of the vast network of conspiracies to sully its image through propaganda and false equivalence as political campaigns begin. However, we shall remain true to our commitments to raise the bar in our service to the people of Kwara State without compromising the law or our ethics. We will not succumb to lies and blackmail of any kind.
“Members of the public are by this statement enjoined to ignore the falsehoods, join hands to build a more prosperous Kwara, and continue to play their lawful part of tax payment as and when due to support the developmental agenda of the government.
End