Benue cracks down on defaulting businesses to boost revenue
The Benue State government has commenced a strict enforcement campaign targeting defaulting business premises to improve the state’s revenue base. The Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Manasseh Orpin Alumo, disclosed this yesterday during a chat with journalists at his office in Makurdi. Alumo also intimated that the ministry had received approval from Governor Hyacinth […]
The Benue State government has commenced a strict enforcement campaign targeting defaulting business premises to improve the state’s revenue base.
The Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Manasseh Orpin Alumo, disclosed this yesterday during a chat with journalists at his office in Makurdi.
Alumo also intimated that the ministry had received approval from Governor Hyacinth Alia to commercialise the state’s fashion hub, which was built and donated by the federal government.
He urged business owners to register their enterprises with the ministry to avoid closure.
The commissioner explained that while the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) collects revenues on behalf of the state, his ministry oversees the issuance of Business Premises Certificates.
“For years, the ministry failed to enforce compliance on business registration and renewals. However, after my recent budget defence at the state assembly, it became clear that we needed to act decisively to generate revenue,” Alumo said.
He disclosed that over 20,000 unregistered businesses were operating in the state and that enforcement teams are currently gathering data on them.
Alumo commended Governor Alia for revitalising dormant industries and providing grants to entrepreneurs, noting that the administration has disbursed N150,000 grants to over 4,500 individuals to help them manage their small-scale enterprises to drive economic growth and employment.