By Sani Idris Abdulrahman
The Gombe State Internal Revenue Service (GIRS), with support from the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP), has moved to strengthen Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) to enhance tax justice in the state.
TJ&GP, in collaboration with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Christian Aid and International Budget Partnership, convened an engagement session in Gombe State, bringing together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening tax justice and improving governance.
The engagement, provided a platform for dialogue on existing practices, lessons from other states, and the establishment of a GRM to ensure citizens' concerns are addressed effectively.
At the two-day engagement in Gombe, Executive Chairman of GIRS, Hajiya Aishatu Yaro, said the training on Taxpayer Database and GRM was designed to equip staff with skills to properly listen to and address taxpayers' grievances, building trust and boosting revenue generation for the state.
Yero, represented by the Director of Taxpayer Services, Kabiru Muhammad, assured that all recommendations reached during the engagement would be adopted, soliciting continued support from civil society organisations in sensitising the public on the importance of tax compliance.
Malam Muhammad Abdu Dutse, the Coordinator of TJ&GP in Jigawa State, said the platform was in Gombe to help build standard procedures for handling taxpayers' grievances, noting that effective grievance redress would enhance compliance and boost taxpayer confidence in the system.
He urged the people of Gombe State to be consistent in paying their taxes and to channel complaints through the appropriate authorities to support government's revenue mobilisation drive.
Dutse said the recommendations from the engagement included strengthening the grievance redress mechanism, institutionalising customer service principles, promoting empathy in governance, and sustaining capacity building through regular refresher sessions.
Mr. Simeon Olatunde, the Coordinator of TJ&GP in Kaduna state, highlighted the engagements in Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa States, sharing lessons on accountability and citizen participation.
He emphasised that the establishment of a steering committee would mark a step towards sustainability and structured follow-up on outcomes, providing resources and recognition to enable effectiveness.
Speaking on behalf of participating CSOs, Hajiya Halima Mahdi expressed gratitude to GIRS and TJ&GP for organising the programme, noting that it has reshaped their understanding of tax payment.
She pledged to cascade the knowledge acquired to other stakeholders and intensify public awareness campaigns on tax responsibilities.
Newsmen reports that the stakeholders demonstrated strong interest in strengthening accountability and transparency within Gombe State's tax system, noting the absence of an effective grievance redress mechanism as a barrier to citizen confidence in taxation
The participants discussed trends around tax collection in Gombe, emphasising the importance of structured citizen engagement and inclusive governance in improving tax compliance.
The TJ&GP, is a broad-based coalition of 19 subnational platforms across Nigerian states. It work to promote fair, just, equitable and progressive tax systems in Nigeria for sustainable development, with a focus on transparency, equity, and citizen engagement in tax administration.
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