Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reiterated that his administration would continue to invest in education and empowerment of the youths to make them responsible citizens and contribute to the wellbeing of the society.
Governor AbdulRazaq stated this at the Grand finale of 2024 Tax Club Quiz Competition organised by the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS), in collaboration with the State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, in Ilorin, the state capital.
AbdulRazaq noted that the competition is not a contest per se, but rather an idea aimed at improving the students knowledge of taxation, adding that it is essential that the youths are educated on the rudiments of tax payment to make them compliance to the process in future.
The Governor commended the organisers of the quiz competition which, he noted, would in the long run improve the State’s revenue base as well as the economy of the country.
In her address, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajiya Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, said the programme would help to make the students understand the intricacies of taxation, adding that the idea is also meant to build the minds of the students towards payment of tax when they grow.
Hajiya Modibbo Kawu said: “Having knowledge of paying tax would enable children contribute to economic growth of the State and the country in general.
“I, therefore, urge the students to use the knowledge gathered during the competition to build a brighter future for themselves.”
In her remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS), Shade Omoniyi, said the most important aspect of the competition was that the preliminary of the competition was conducted through Computer Based Test (CBT) from the comfort of their schools.
She explained that technology was adopted to make the competition seamless and improve the skills of the students.
Omoniyi noted that seven out of the 12 schools that emerged successful to take part in the quiz competition are public schools.
She commended the state government for investing in public education across the State, urging the students to continue to pursue knowledge regardless of the outcome of the quiz competition.
For her part, the Convener of the quiz competition, Funmilola Oguntobi, said the competition started in year 2016, adding that in
year 2024, a total of 154 schools across the State registered to participate in the quiz competition.
Oguntobi said after the preliminary test, only 12 best schools emerged to participate in the exercise.
At the end of the competition, Government Day Secondary School, Gaa Akanbi, Ilorin, emerged overall winner of the 2024 Tax quiz competition, Government Secondary School, Lafiagi, came second, while Evangelistic Hearth of Jesus Model College, Asa Dam, Ilorin, came third.