The newly appointed executive chairman of the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Bashir Maitama, has pledged to strengthen revenue generation through transparency, accountability, teamwork and innovation.

Aisha Maigiwa, head of corporate communications of KIRS, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Kano.

She said the new chairman formally assumed office on Monday, following a handover ceremony from the acting executive chairman, Muhammad Aliyu.

Welcoming Mr Maitama, Mr Aliyu, who is also the executive director of the compliance and enforcement group, prayed for God’s guidance and wisdom for the new chairman.

He urged members of staff to give the new leadership maximum support and cooperation towards sustaining the growth of internally generated revenue in the state.

In his inaugural remarks, Mr Maitama expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to lead the agency, describing his assumption of office as a historic moment.

He appreciated Governor Abba Yusuf for finding him worthy of the appointment, assuring the governor and the people of Kano State of his commitment to deliver on the mandate entrusted to him.

The chairman said he was delighted to join a team of professionals who had contributed immensely to the progress of the service.

He commended his predecessor for his efforts in strengthening KIRS, saying history would recognise his contributions to the development of the agency.

Mr Maitama also appreciated the service’s technical partner, Manam Professional Services, for its support towards the transformation of KIRS.

He described his appointment as a collective responsibility and called on management and staff to work together to achieve the agency’s objectives.

The new chairman assured workers of an open, transparent and inclusive leadership style anchored on accountability, teamwork and innovation.

He identified achieving revenue targets, expanding the tax net and deepening the state’s tax base as key priorities of his administration.

Mr Maitama expressed confidence that the targets set for KIRS were achievable, urging staff to embrace creative ideas and innovative solutions in carrying out their responsibilities.

He added that his office would remain open to constructive suggestions and meaningful contributions from staff.

Also speaking, the executive director of the revenue operations group, Kassim Ismail, expressed confidence in Mr Maitama’s ability to lead the Service to greater heights.

He pledged the support of his directorate towards achieving the mandate of KIRS.

(NAN)