Lalong warns commissioners over absence in govt functions

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

Governor Simon Lalong, yesterday expressed anger over non presence of majority members of the State executive council, at the workshop of the Joint State Revenue Committee.
He said the non-presence of significant number of Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen and Chief Executives of Board and Parastatals is a sign of unseriousness to duties of Government.
The State Internal Revenue Service, has organised a one day workshop on Tax Mattars/Engagement with the members of State executive council, themed: “Collaboration, synergy and compliance: Optimising internally generated revenue collection in Plateau State for effective service delivery and development,” held at the conference hall of Government House yesterday.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Sonny Gwalle Tyoden, who said the Governor had directed him to take a head count of those in attendance, veered the text of speech and directed Head of Service to, “take note of those present at the workshop.
Only 8 commissioners out of 24 were present, 12 permanent secretaries out of 24 were present and only 6 chairmen and chief executives of boards and parastatals were also present.
Others not in attendance were the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Governor as well as the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS).
“We are talking about revenue generation, like the chairman of the internal revenue service said, resources are very lean, but when those that steer the ship of State are not in workshop like this, how would the revenue be generated,” Tydoden frowned.
He said should members of the executive council be ask to recite out the 5 policy thrust of the Government, “I don’t how many can.”
He reprimanded the Government officials to be more serious with their work.
“I think we need to be more serious about Governing Plateau State,” he said.
The Governor said the workshop and inter agency engagement is aimed at increasing awareness on the legal framework and policy reforms in the area of tax administration in the State, in line with the law he signed in 2016.
The Executive Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. A. Dashe, said the aim of the workshop was to engage and rouse member of the executive council, heads of MDAs on the needed collaborative parameters.
He added that there is also the need to enhance mutual understanding on how MDAs, “are key contributor to the service-based revenue sources.”