… Set for NUJ Hall of Fame Induction
The Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS) has urged journalists to expose inefficiencies and misconduct among its staff, while helping to promote accountability, transparency and fairness in tax administration in the State.
The Executive Chairman of EKIRS, Mr. Olaniran Olatona, made the appeal on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, while addressing the October Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, held at the Press Centre in Ado-Ekiti.
Mr. Olatona also called on journalists to draw the attention of the Service to high-net-worth individuals in the State who should be paying higher taxes, noting that improved tax compliance among those with greater capacity to pay would help ease the burden on low-income earners and emerging businesses.
He attributed the sustained growth in the State’s revenue to the deployment of data intelligence to identify individuals and businesses liable to pay higher taxes, as well as bring more eligible taxpayers into the tax net.
Reaffirming the legality of the taxes collected by EKIRS, the Executive Chairman assured taxpayers that the Service would continue to operate within the provisions of the law while remaining responsive to their concerns and expectations.
Mr. Olatona, however, lamented that EKIRS continues to contend with negative perceptions among taxpayers, attributing the situation partly to a lack of understanding of the distinctions between federal, state and local revenue authorities and the taxes and levies each is legally empowered to collect.
He therefore appealed to journalists to help bridge the knowledge gap by educating the public on taxation, promising that EKIRS would provide the media with relevant information and training to strengthen accurate and informed reporting of tax matters.
The Executive Chairman also urged journalists to investigate claims by taxpayers, particularly business owners, that EKIRS had sealed their business premises, insisting that the Service had moved away from such enforcement practices.
Addressing concerns about multiple taxation in the State, Mr. Olatona said EKIRS has continued to harmonise tax collection processes, explaining that taxpayers could now receive a single invoice or receipt covering different tax obligations.
In his remarks, a former NUJ Chairman in Ekiti State and immediate past Technical Adviser on Media to the Governor, Akogun Tai Oguntayo, called for adequate education and enlightenment of journalists on tax-related issues to improve the quality and accuracy of their reports.
Akogun Oguntayo also commended the Ekiti State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, and his executive team for creating a platform for constructive engagement between journalists and the revenue authority on taxation and related matters.
Speaking at the event, Comrade Babatuyi announced that Mr. Olatona would be inducted into the Ekiti NUJ Hall of Fame on November 20, 2026, during the Union’s Press Week. He said the recognition is in acknowledgement of the EKIRS Chairman’s contributions to Ekiti State and the Union, describing the initiative as a novel and unprecedented development by the Council.