Stakeholders Oversight/Public Service Rating And Performance Index Project

The Integrity Group in partnership with other civil society organizations, professionals, the media and other concerned citizens have commenced a stakeholders oversight and public service rating and performance index project in Rivers state.

The aim of this project is to promote accountable/healthy competition and productive governance among the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government including political office holders, both appointed and elected in the state.

This pilot project  is intended to serve as a watchdog which will put to task and constructively engage the various arms of government, towards ensuring that the vision and mission of good governance comes to fruition for the benefit of all Rivers people.

In the coming days, we shall among others, come up with rating criteria, actual  periodic ratings and reports on the performance of the various arms of govt, MDA's, LGC's etc which shall include ideas and suggestions  that will result in better governance and the delivery of same for the benefit of our people.

Therefore, as a first line charge and in view of the current economic situation in the country, particularly Rivets state,

1. We demand a Tax audit of all large and medium scale business interests in the state to show their tax payment records and verifiable sources of such payments to the coffers of government, through the Rivers state board of Internal Revenue which now has a new acting chairman.

Consequently, the new chairman is hereby requested to immediately embark on a verification tax audit exercise, at least for the past three years, as this will help in checking the excessive drainpipes and leakages occasioned by some alleged criminal elements in the board who it is claimed, connive with some of these large and medium scale companies in the state to divert billions of Naira of IGR meant for the state, thus starving the government of funds.

2. That the acting chairman of the state Revenue service should among others, urgently reposition the Board and ensure proper accountability and enforcement of the tax  laws of the state for the expected IGR boost, as we shall be assessing and spotlighting the RIRS in the coming days because we want our state to improve and make the needed progress that it deserves.

Sign:

Livingstone Wechie
For the Integrity Group and its partners