Why I Refused To Acquire New Vehicles As Governor — Sanwo-Olu

…Urges tax professionals to occupy leadership positions for
increased revenue

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday charged
governors to look into their expenditure profile and do away with
unnecessary spending to increase state revenue for government to
have more resources to meet the basic needs of the people.

Speaking at the 22nd Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered
Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) held at Eko Hotel, Victoria
Island in Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed the need for better
utilisation of tax payers’ money by public office holders to build
the trust of the citizens, adding that State executives must work
toward having a better reform process.

The Governor, who disclosed that he is yet to use state
resources to purchase any vehicle for himself since he assumed
office as governor on May 29, 2019, said it is not necessarily
fanciful that Governors must buy brand new vehicles when there is
no need for them.

He said: “We need to look at our expenditure profile as Chief
Executive of our state and ask ourselves, where can I cut the red
tape; what can I do away with so as to increase the revenue of my
state or even make available more money for my state.

“What I have done till date is that I have not purchased any
single official vehicle for myself, for any of my personal staff or
any of my family members from the government purse. If you see me
have a convoy of 10 vehicles, these are all vehicles I was using
during my campaigns.

“Governor Nasir el-Rufai joined me in one of my cars this
morning and I can tell you that vehicle was one of the vehicles I
used for my campaign; it is not brand new.”

“So, I said to my people that, it is not a fanciful thing that
every governor must begin to buy brand new vehicles when you do not
need to. So, all of those millions have gone back into the treasury
of the state and we are using it to develop the state very
well.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu who stressed the need to increase revenue
generation without totally dependent on revenue from oil, charged
tax practitioners, especially members of CITN, to take leadership
position and put themselves in rightful position in Nigeria to
increase government revenue and change the narrative in the
country.

Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir
el-Rufai commended Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s leadership in managing the
affairs of the state and his effort to rebuild Lagos after the
massive destruction that marred the peaceful protests organised by
the youth recently.

He said: “Whatever happens in Lagos concerns everybody because
it is the economic hub of the country while Kaduna State is the
political hub. I can assure you that all the 35 governors will
support your rebuilding Lagos project,” Governor el-Rufai
promised.

Governor el-Rufai who disclosed that Nigeria is not collecting
more revenue as it should collect, said Kaduna State has learned a
lot from Lagos State in term of economic development and internal
revenue generation (IGR), which has helped his state to reform its
tax generation.

In her address, the President of CITN, Dame Gladys Simplice,
urged the executive arm of government to ensure that government
economic policies in generating revenue are matched with tax
reforms that encourage growth through Executive orders and
sponsorship of legislative bills capable of promoting
entrepreneurship development.

She also advised the National Assembly to address the nature of
the Value Added Tax (VAT) by including more items under the
exemption list and giving clarity to existing ones.

…Urges tax professionals to occupy leadership positions for
increased revenue

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday charged
governors to look into their expenditure profile and do away with
unnecessary spending to increase state revenue for government to
have more resources to meet the basic needs of the people.

Speaking at the 22nd Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered
Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) held at Eko Hotel, Victoria
Island in Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed the need for better
utilisation of tax payers’ money by public office holders to build
the trust of the citizens, adding that State executives must work
toward having a better reform process.

The Governor, who disclosed that he is yet to use state
resources to purchase any vehicle for himself since he assumed
office as governor on May 29, 2019, said it is not necessarily
fanciful that Governors must buy brand new vehicles when there is
no need for them.

He said: “We need to look at our expenditure profile as Chief
Executive of our state and ask ourselves, where can I cut the red
tape; what can I do away with so as to increase the revenue of my
state or even make available more money for my state.

“What I have done till date is that I have not purchased any
single official vehicle for myself, for any of my personal staff or
any of my family members from the government purse. If you see me
have a convoy of 10 vehicles, these are all vehicles I was using
during my campaigns.

“Governor Nasir el-Rufai joined me in one of my cars this
morning and I can tell you that vehicle was one of the vehicles I
used for my campaign; it is not brand new.”

“So, I said to my people that, it is not a fanciful thing that
every governor must begin to buy brand new vehicles when you do not
need to. So, all of those millions have gone back into the treasury
of the state and we are using it to develop the state very
well.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu who stressed the need to increase revenue
generation without totally dependent on revenue from oil, charged
tax practitioners, especially members of CITN, to take leadership
position and put themselves in rightful position in Nigeria to
increase government revenue and change the narrative in the
country.

Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir
el-Rufai commended Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s leadership in managing the
affairs of the state and his effort to rebuild Lagos after the
massive destruction that marred the peaceful protests organised by
the youth recently.

He said: “Whatever happens in Lagos concerns everybody because
it is the economic hub of the country while Kaduna State is the
political hub. I can assure you that all the 35 governors will
support your rebuilding Lagos project,” Governor el-Rufai
promised.

Governor el-Rufai who disclosed that Nigeria is not collecting
more revenue as it should collect, said Kaduna State has learned a
lot from Lagos State in term of economic development and internal
revenue generation (IGR), which has helped his state to reform its
tax generation.

In her address, the President of CITN, Dame Gladys Simplice,
urged the executive arm of government to ensure that government
economic policies in generating revenue are matched with tax
reforms that encourage growth through Executive orders and
sponsorship of legislative bills capable of promoting
entrepreneurship development.

She also advised the National Assembly to address the nature of
the Value Added Tax (VAT) by including more items under the
exemption list and giving clarity to existing ones.