The Kano Internal Revenue Service(KIRS) has inaugurated the Single Interstate Road Tax Sticker (SIRTS) and the Single Haulage Fee (SHF) to address multiple taxation from motorists on the highways.
Dr Zaid Abubakar, the Executive Chairman of KIRS, while unveiling the stickers on Saturday in Kano said that the project was initiated by the Joint Tax Board (JTB).
The chairman noted that the initiative of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), would end multiple taxation and improve the ease of doing business for transporters.
According to him, the Single Haulage Fee is to end illegal tax collection, and extortion on the highways, as well as block revenue leakages in the country.
“Today, we flaged off the harmonized collection scheme sticker which consist of interstate road tax sticker and single haulage fee.
“It will reduce multiple taxes collected from motorists on the highways and generate revenue for the state government.
“People are always complaining in the high way that they are forced to pay a high amount of money in the name of road taxes.
“JTB decided to come up with the interstate sticker to avoid that multiple taxation.
“Now, over 20 states of the federation have joined the system,” he said.
Earlier, the commissioner of finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, said the essence of implementing the Single Interstate Road Tax Sticker and the Single Haulage Fee was to end illegal tax collection, and extortion on the highways, as well as block revenue leakages in the country.
The commissioner said that the unified tax system would curb harassment of transport operators on the road by different unions.
Jibril further added that the approach would promote ease of doing business in the state and the country as a whole.like it was done in the civilized parts of the world.
Some of the stakeholders who spoke at the event, commended JTB and KIRS for the laudable initiative.
They said the initiative would reduce incidences of double taxation through the sales of multiple stickers while enhancing the ease of doing business in the country.
They added that the single interstate road sticker would remove all the roadblocks; across the nation, transporters face different kinds of roadblocks, taxes which is not good for their business.