Yemisi Izuora
The Oyo State Internal Revenue Service (OYSIRS) has responded to reports criticising its decision that its top management staff offer skeletal services to the public during the period of government shutdown.
A statement by the Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Bureau of Internal Revenue, Aremo John Adeleke indicated that the offer of service by the senior management was voluntary and without any coercion.
According to Aremo Adeleke, the decision was meant to ease public agony and inconveniences; especially in areas such as filing of tax returns by companies; registration of new vehicles; renewal of expired vehicle documents; remittances of monthly PAYE and other due taxes as well as any emergency requests for tax clearance certificates.
“These are essential services which must be provided, remembering that unlike Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, Oyo State is not on total lockdown yet,’’ the statement read.
The statement read in part: ‘’To enable our management staff discharge this skeletal duty adequate healthcare provisions have been made in our offices and the few staff involved in the skeletal services are under strict COVID-19 health guidelines. Which means at all times the management of the Service is mindful of keeping our staff save.
“We are aware we are in a time of a ruinous pandemic which necessitated the government shutdown in the first place.
“Contrary to the viewpoint of detractors and mischief makers, the attempt and sacrifices by the senior management of the OYSIRS to do its bit to enhance the resource capacity of OYSG to cope with its gargantuan responsibilities connected to handling the COVID-19 emergency.
“It is obvious that the good intention of the BIR, which is aimed at helping the state cushion the effects of the COVID 19 emergency was being misinterpreted by a few
“Let it be said that important organs of government, such as OYSIRS, cannot completely shut down even in times of crisis.
We are not unaware of the antecedent of the opposition in the state who would prefer to grind the entire machinery of a caring government such as GSM’s to a complete halt, just to paint a picture of inaction, but our people are wiser than such petty antics.
“It is also true that with the support of the Ministry of Finance, we have made progress and made a difference in our attempt to re-engineer the process of revenue collection at OYSIRS. Still digital machines, IT solutions and robust applications don’t operate themselves, hence we need that vital few among our management staff for difficult times like we are. And we are sure this difficult time will not last.
“We want to assure the entire citizenry of Oyo State, especially the families of our senior staff at OYSIRS, that the health and well-being of our staff is paramount to us and we will not execute any policy that will put them in harms way now or in the future.
“We will continue to observe closely all developments regarding the present pandemic and religiously adhere to all directives of His Excellency the Governor and the COVID-19 management team in Oyo State.
“We, however reassure all our management staff who have diligently been participating in offering the skeletal services to remain assured that their sweat will not go unnoticed.”