Benue House of Assembly has read the Internal Revenue Administration Amendment Bill for the second time.
Mr Damian Cheme, the Assembly’s Majority Leader, led the debate on the bill during plenary in Makurdi on Friday.
Cheme said that more ministries, agencies/institutions and departments that rendered essential services would retain 75 per cent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and remit 25 per cent to the government when the bill finally scaled through.
He said that the monitoring and supervision of the Internal Revenue Board and the Benue Internal Revenue Service, would be moved from the Ministry of Finance to the Office of the Governor for efficient supervision when the bill is passed.
He, therefore, moved that the bill be read for the second time, saying that the oiling of government hinged on internal revenue.
The Assembly’s Minority Leader, Mr Bem Mngutyo, who seconded the motion, said the dynamics of any revenue law kept changing from time to time.
Mngutyo urged the legislators to allow the bill to scale second reading, saying that the bill was targeted at addressing the operational challenges of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Contributing, Mr Torkuma Bundle (Buruku/PDP), said that giving back 75 per cent of what was generated back to the MDAs, would enhance effective operation.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Christopher Adaji, who presided over the plenary, thanked members for their valid contributions and invited the Clerk, Mr Terese Agena, to read the bill for the second time.
