Bayelsa State on Tuesday condemned the failure of multinational companies operating in the state to pay their taxes.
The state Governor, Seriake Dickson, said his administration had resolved to stop the firms, especially oil companies from remitting their taxes to other states while operating in the state.
Dickson, who spoke while inaugurating the state's Board of Internal Revenue in Yenagoa, therefore, urged the board led by Mr. Torukuru Godson, to liaise with the Attorney-General of the state to end the practice.
He said, "I don't see any reason why multinational companies operating in the state with the massive degradation they wreak on our environment will not pay tax to the state. Work with the Attorney-General that I have already mandated so that we can create an enabling legal environment when necessary."
He asked the board to develop new sources of revenue and to work out modalities to block all leakages in the state.
Describing the assignment of the board as critical to the administration's restoration agenda, Dickson implored its members to work with the ministry of finance and a supervisory committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah.
He lamented the low internally generated Revenue of the state, adding that his administration would not depend solely on federal allocation to execute its projects.
He said, "Government will take aggressive steps to shore up its IGR to cover all recurrent expenditures of the state."
Godson said the board would not disappoint the governor.
The committee, which is expected to brief the state executive council, at least, once every three months has Mrs. Ezougha Ogborodi as its legal adviser and secretary.
Other members of the committee are Mr. Anthony Ikobho, Mr. Felix Pere-Kalama, Mr. Joseph Isowo, Anthony Audy and two representatives of the Board of Internal Revenue.
