The Cross River State Internal Revenue Service has partnered with the Ikom Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and the six local government councils in the Central Senatorial District to address multiple taxation and duplication of levies affecting businesses in the area.
The stakeholders are expected to hold a one-day sensitisation conference on tax harmonisation between the state and local governments on Wednesday in Ikom.
The conference, with the theme, “Tax Harmonization Between State and Local Government: Cross River Central Experience,” is aimed at promoting a coordinated, transparent and efficient revenue administration system across the district.
The initiative is also expected to provide an avenue for government representatives, business owners, taxpayers and other stakeholders to discuss practical measures for eliminating duplication in taxation.
According to the organisers, the collaboration is designed to improve coordination between state and local government revenue authorities while reducing the burden of multiple taxation on businesses operating across the six local government areas in the district.
The Executive Chairman of CRIRS, Prince Edwin Okon, is expected to attend the conference as the Special Guest, while the Executive Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Council and Chairman of the six councils in Cross River Central, Hon. Yibala Inyang Ingiri, will serve as Co-Host.
The President/Chairman of Council of IKOMCCIMMA, Mrs Flora Takim-Ndifon, will host the event, while Dr Akornaye U. Adie, Managing Partner, Akornaye Adie & Co, is the Guest Speaker.
The conference is scheduled to take place at 10am at the ICC Hotel Hall, Four Corners, Ikom.
The organisers said the engagement would deepen understanding of tax responsibilities among taxpayers and promote greater cooperation between government and the business community.
The initiative is expected to address concerns over overlapping revenue collection by different tiers of government, which can increase the cost of doing business and discourage investment.
It will also focus on ways to make tax administration more transparent and efficient, while improving compliance and revenue generation for government.
The CRIRS said it would continue to engage taxpayers, businesses, local government councils and other stakeholders as part of efforts to promote coordinated revenue administration across Cross River State.
The agency added that sustained engagement remained necessary to create a more predictable tax environment and improve the ease of doing business in the state.
