Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, on Monday denied claims that it has usurped the responsibilities of local councils in the state in the area of revenue collection.

Muritala Awodun, Chairman of the service made the denial in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin. He said that the agency had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the local councils to collect taxes and levies on their behalf.

Awodun said that the agreement allowed the service to collect only four out of the 21 taxable items stipulated by law in the 16 local government areas of the state. The chairman listed the areas covered under the MoU to include building permits, shops and kiosks, market taxes and levies and motor park levies.

The signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the councils and the KWIRS is to collect only four out of the 21 items approved for local governments in the Constitution. "We are assisting them to collect the taxes and remit the money to them on monthly basis as agreed.

"We don't join the local government fund with that of the state because they are separate entities in accordance with the Constitution. "We collect the LG revenue for a period of one month after which we accounted for what we have collected and it was impressive," Awodun added.

According to him, the essence is to avoid multiple taxation on people, institutions and companies across the state. The chairman also said that the agency has embarked on awareness campaign to sensitise the people on the need to pay taxes as at when due.(NAN)