The commissioner stated this when the executives and members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him on Thursday in Asaba.
Tilije said the state would do all to reduce the burden of tax on residents, especially due to the recent cybersecurity levy and the high pump price of petrol among others.
“Those days, you used to see so many bills in the state, but now, we have consolidated. So, we send out only one bill,” he said.
According to him, the state is, however, pushing a bit to also improve on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
”Though we know that our tax network is not what it should be; we are also trying to expand.
”We haven’t even touched the informal and we will do that in the next few months. We shall, however, need your assistance as journalists to help us drive the sector.
”We know that the informal sector is key to the economy of the state because of its turnover,” Tilije said.
He noted that despite the huge potential in the informal sector, only civil servants pay the right taxes.
The commissioner lauded the increase in the allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to states and local governments.
He, however, said it was just a huge chunk of money with little value given the inflationary trend in the country.
”Thank God that FAAC receipt is improving by the day, but improving by the day is not, absolutely, rewarding compared to what we are getting in terms of value for the money.
”So, when the Federal Government says states are carting away with so much money now, it is not correct because there are some roads that we awarded in the past and we are even reviewing the cost now.
“If the contracts are not reviewed, the projects will be abandoned by the contractors,” he said.
The commissioner said that Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori has, nevertheless, assured completion of all the contracts awarded by past administrations.
”I know that the current governor means well for the people of the state; that is not to say that the past governors did not mean well for the state,” he said.
He commended the chapel for maintaining a cordial relationship with the state executive and assured his continued support.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Ifeanyi Olannye, said the visit was to felicitate the commissioner on his reappointment to office.
”We admit that you excelled in your profession as a banker, and now a politician. Your antecedent speaks volumes as a financial guru, a philanthropist; who has touched lives in many ways.
”We also want to use this opportunity to strengthen our ties in partnership to deepen the development of our dear state in line with the M.O.R.E. Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori,” he said.
The chapel chairman acknowledged the office of the commissioner of finance as the engine room ensuring the actualisation of projects and programmes through prompt releases of funds.
‘We have seen particularly in the over N78 billion Warri/Effurun flyover bridge and road redesigning/expansion projects awarded to Julius Berger Construction company among other projects,” he said.
Olannye said the chapel was not in doubt of the governor’s readiness to mark his first year in office with a huge harvest of infrastructure across the state.
He, however, prayed that journalists be factored into the programmes to ensure effective reportage and impartation in terms of the welfare and overall well-being of the members.
”Besides, as watchdogs that hold government accountable, we, hereby, dare to say that the people are groaning over too many taxes levied by the government.
”The recent being the Federal Government cybersecurity levy on electronic banking plus the rising petrol pump price, which currently has hit N750 per litter.
“These levies leave the society with much more challenges, and the journalists are not exempted,” he said.
