The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) has revealed that the state’s primary revenue sources have significantly dwindled, prompting a call for innovative strategies to identify new revenue streams and eliminate financial leakages.
During the launch of ‘Project CRAFT’ and the PAYKADUNA PORTAL, KADIRS Chairman, Mr. Jerry Adams, highlighted the transformative potential of these initiatives. He emphasized that these efforts extend beyond technology, representing a new governance approach designed to harness advanced data analytics and automation to enhance revenue generation, reduce leakages, and improve service delivery to citizens.
Mr. Adams outlined the significant financial recoveries achieved by KADIRS over the past eight years, including approximately N20 billion from back duty audits, N18 billion from non-tax revenue sources, N42 billion in exchange gains from foreign loans and grants, and land allocation reforms through the establishment of KADGIS.
“However, these sources have dried up due to the privatization of over 80% of government-owned properties, shrinking back duty recoveries, and the Federal Government’s new FOREX regime, which eliminated exchange gains as revenue,” Adams explained.
He noted that the state’s considerable debt burden underscores the urgent need for innovative and creative solutions to discover new revenue potentials, enhance accountability, block leakages, and expand the tax net both vertically and horizontally.
Adams described the launch of ‘Project CRAFT’ and the ‘PAYKADUNA PORTAL’ as a testament to Governor Uba Sani’s administration’s commitment to innovation, accountability, and excellence in public service reform. Project CRAFT, which stands for Cross-systems for Revenue Administration and Fiscal Transparency, is seen as a groundbreaking strategy for revenue administration, signaling a new era in revenue generation and management for Kaduna State.
The initiative is a key component of a broader vision to enhance the efficiency of KADIRS, ensuring that every naira due to the state is collected and accounted for.
Governor Uba Sani, represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, reiterated the administration’s dedication to transparency and accountability through technological advancements in governance and service delivery. He directed all heads of revenue-generating agencies to adopt the new tools, stating, “It is imperative that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the state promptly integrate into the platform and provide all necessary support to the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service to ensure a seamless and efficient revenue collection process.”
Comments