Taraba Govt, I4CUS Hold Workshop on Inclusive Governance, Begin Informal Sector Enumeration
By Hilary John
The Taraba State Government, in partnership with I4CUS Nigeria Limited, has held a one-day sensitisation workshop on inclusive governance and officially flagged off a comprehensive enumeration exercise for the informal sector.
The event took place at Camp View Hall, Jalingo.
Speaking to journalists after the programme, the Chief Information Officer of I4CUS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Samson Adebayo, said the initiative is in collaboration with the Taraba State Board of Internal Revenue and the Office of the Governor’s Special Adviser on Technical Workforce Strategy Development and Productivity.
According to him, the workshop was designed to sensitise artisans, traders and trade unions on the upcoming enumeration exercise, which will register informal sector operators into a central state database.
He explained that the exercise would enable the government to have accurate data on artisans, traders and other informal workers across the state, making it easier to plan for their needs and provide targeted support.
Mr. Adebayo added that the enumeration would also allow informal sector operators to be located through a digital application developed by the consultant, making it easier for residents to access their services.
He said participants were also educated on tax payment, its importance and how it contributes to the development of the state, noting that Taraba currently ranks among states with low internally generated revenue (IGR).
Based on available statistics, he disclosed that the informal sector in Taraba has over 500,000 artisans and traders.
He explained that if each person pays as little as ₦1,000 monthly, the state could generate about ₦500 million every month, amounting to roughly ₦6 billion annually from the informal sector alone.
Addressing public concerns about reluctance to pay taxes, Mr. Adebayo said the state government has given assurances that all tax revenues would be properly utilised for the benefit of citizens.
He noted that the Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue had assured stakeholders that every kobo collected would be transparently applied to projects such as road construction, provision of basic amenities and other social services.
He cited government interventions including free primary and secondary education and a 50 per cent reduction in tuition fees for students in higher institutions as examples of how tax revenues are already benefiting residents.
Mr. Adebayo stressed that measures have been put in place to ensure compliance, including the creation of a comprehensive database for artisans, the use of local personnel as enumerators, and clearly defined benefits for registered informal sector operators.
He added that task force teams and enumerators would be deployed across the state to ensure proper registration and compliance, while leaders of trade unions have pledged to mobilise their members to support the initiative.
He expressed confidence that increased citizen participation in tax payment would enable the government to do more for the development of Taraba State.
