ODIRS Executive Chairman Resigns to Join Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Implementation Committee
The Executive Chairman of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) Dr Tolu Adegbie has resigned in line with Section 12 (1), (a) of the Ondo State Revenue Administration Law 2018.
Our correspondent learnt from his resignation letter that his resignation is not unconnected with his recent appointment as a member of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Implementation Committee as this will new role will require his physical absence from the office over the next few months.
He will transition to this national role, marking a new chapter in his distinguished career.
This quintessential public officer under his leadership, the ODIRS saw remarkable progress and transformation. While in office, he drove a series of groundbreaking reforms and initiatives that have fundamentally enhanced the state’s revenue generation and tax administration.
His tenure was characterized by a relentless commitment that improved fiscal policies, increased transparency, and expanding taxpayer engagement. He was appointed by the then Ondo State Governor Late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, from Wema Bank Plc as a member of the transition Budget and Finance Committee in December, 2016.
He was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Revenue to Mr Governor in December 2017 and later appointed as the Chairman, Ondo State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) in January 2018 where he systematically increased revenue from monthly average of the N700 million in 2018 when he came on board to N3.5billion in 2023.
The former top management staff of Wema Bank Plc who has worked in several commercial banks in Nigeria and USA has some achievements during his tenure as the Executive Chairman of ODIRS which spanned from 2018 to 30th July, 2024.
He ensured the granting of Administrative and Financial autonomy of the Board and conversion to Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) with the passage and accent into law of the Ondo State Revenue Administration Law 2018.
He restructured the board and so far, recruited over 700 new graduates into the ODIRS to bolster the work force. He introduced Model Tax Stations (one-stop-shop) within the Banking Hall of Wema Bank & UBA in Akure. He carried out renovation on the 24 Tax Stations & equipment of ODIRS on his assumption to the office.
He embraced ICT driven revenue collection methods and automated processes which has yielded a lot of positive results in eliminating touting, blockage of leakages, introduction of POS, introduction of electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (e-TCC), better relationship with banks, establishing of Contact Centre forenquiries, complaint and citizens feedback, automation of Land Use Charge process and collection.
A new Revenue House complex was built in Akure on over 20,000sqm of land which is a one-stop-shop with two banks for ease of Tax Payer transactions and faster service.
The complex started and completed within 12 months and was commissioned in September 2020 by Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, with five State Governors in attendance.
He has so far built five new modern tax stations in Ose, Ese Odo, Ile-Oluji, Ondo West Local Government Areas of Ondo State while some are under construction. He has organized over 30 local & international trainings for the staff of his agency in their various area of expertise since its flag-off in 2021.
He has written a book to document the whole transformational story of Ondo State Internal Revenue Service as an author. The title of the book is How We Did It- The transformational story of Ondo State Internal Revenue Service. The book is available at www.toluadegbie.ng
Furthermore, under his administration he has intervened in some of these areas to contribute to the development of our State in general as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): In 2018, he presented a Generating Set to Nursery and Primary Schools in Akure.
