Mr Ade Ipaye, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Taxation and Revenue, has said that the state generated N66 billion as internal revenue in the last six months.

Ipaye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the state could generate over N15 billon internal revenue monthly if everybody in the state paid taxes promptly.

He said the autonomy of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) had made it possible to achieve tremendous increase in revenue generation lately.

The Special Adviser said that the LIRS had recruited well paid specialists who were rendering efficient services and made increased revenue generation possible.

He, however, said that the state still had lot of challenges confronting it in the area of tax administration.

Ipaye said that many corporate organisations in the state were still not remitting tax deducted from their staff salaries over the years.

He said that the state had not stopped sealing-off companies that were evading taxes, but that the government was currently carrying out enlightenment campaigns.

The Special Adviser said that the state would not hesitate to prosecute anybody who evaded tax "because tax evasion is a serious offence".

Ipaye said the level of tax compliance among the corporate organisations was fairly low, adding that many companies found it difficult to remit their taxes to the state monthly.

He also attributed the improved performance on revenue generation to the activities of internal auditors, who visit companies to re-assess their books and staff strength to give the state clearer pictures on their affairs.

Ipaye said that the state no longer engaged the services of consultants in tax collection, adding that taxes were being paid by individuals to banks in order to avoid the issue of touting and fraud in the system.

"The mission of the state government is to have the most efficient tax machineries in Nigeria and an equitable tax net.

"To also have efficient administrative machinery collecting taxes at minimal cost; comprehensive and reliable database, automated processes and prompt attention to complaints and defects,’’ he said.