Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, has advised residents of the state to endeavour to pay their taxes regularly to enhance service delivery.
The governor gave the advice on Tuesday in Sokoto while declaring open the 2017 Stakeholders’ Budget Summit.
The summit was organised by the Office of the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, in collaboration with the state chapter of the Coalition of Non Governmental Organizations.
Tambuwal said: “as it is now, only civil servants pay their taxes and revenues as at when due.
“Other categories of the citizens do not pay while those who pay are not paying as at when due.
“The people must imbibe the habit of paying their taxes regularly.
“We are hereby assuring the people of the state that all revenues collected would be judiciously utilized for their benefit.’’
The governor stressed the need for firms and corporate organisations operating in the state to execute projects in line with their corporate social responsibility to the people.
He said that such projects would help to complement the efforts of the government to improve the living standard of the people.
Tambuwal said the summit was crucial in his administration’s quest for all-inclusive governance.
“The summit was organised to capture the needs and aspirations of the diverse people of the state, with a view to fulfilling our campaign promises.
“The summit will lead to the initiation and religious implementation of robust policies and programmes,” the governor added.
He commended Imam Iman, his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs for organising the summit.
“I was criticised for employing non- indigene as my Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs.
“He performed exceedingly well as my spokesman when I was the Speaker of the House of Representatives and I know why I appointed him,” the governor said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Bala Kokani, said that diverse groups of people in the state were carried along in the budget processes from conception to planning.
Speaking earlier, Imam Imam said the summit was organised to widen consultations in the preparation of the 2017 budget of the state.
“This is to make the budget more responsive as well entrench transparency, honesty and accountability.
“It is also to allow the citizens make their inputs into the fiscal document and expand governance,” Iman said.
Ibrahim Shuni, chairman, Coalition of Non Governmental Organizations, said the summit would strengthen transparency, accountability and governance.
He added that it would also boost participation of the citizens in governance and bolster service delivery. (NAN)
BRM/AEA/AEA