GSS, Omu Aran wins N1m KWIRS Tax Club quiz competition prize

Government Secondary School, Omu Aran has won a star prize of N1m by emerging the overall winner in the maiden edition of the Tax Club quiz competition organised by Kwara Inland Revenue Service (KWIRS).

GSS scored 59 points to emerge winner and also carted away a trophy defeating two other schools.

A total of 110 schools took part in the competition from the zonal level to local government and finally the state level.

Government Girls Day Secondary School (GGDSS), Oko-Erin, Ilorin came second with 52 points went home with N500, 000 and a trophy.

The third position went to Ilofa Grammar School (IGS), Ilofa with 50 point and received the sum of N250, 000 and a trophy.

Other schools that made the final were Government Secondary School (GSS), Lafiaji, 49 points, Ola International College (OIC),46 points,  Kaiama and Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin, 42 points.

The two students that won the first prize for GSS will enjoy scholarship up to the university to the tune of N250, 000 while second position students will receive N150, 000 scholarship and third position students got N100, 000 in scholarship.

Teachers that prepared the students from GSS that came first got the sum of N150, 000, while that of GGDSS, Oko-Erin, Ilorin received 100, 000 and IGS, Ilofa went home with N50, 000 gift.

A teacher at Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin, Mrs Bolanle Adebayo also received the sum of N150, 000 as the most compassionate teacher during the competition.

Teachers from the winning schools received set of books donated by the President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Dr (Mrs) Teju Somorin.

Speaking at the event, Dr Somorin described Tax Club in secondary schools as the first of its kind in the country, adding that the only Tax club in school was at the University of Lagos.

The CITN president commended the management of Kwara Internal Revenue Service for the initiative and urged the chairman to sustain the quiz competition.

She told members of the Tax club in the state that they should consider themselves lucky as they were being exposed to taxation at an early age which will be useful to them in future.

Dr Somorin enjoined the students to work hard and study Taxation as a course in the university for them take up taxation as a profession.

KWIRS Chairman, Dr Muritala Awodun in his address, said KWIRS has to partner with the ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to introduce the Tax Club in Secondary Schools in the state.

According to him, Tax club was established in secondary schools as a measure towards increasing the knowledge and compliance to the tax policies in the state.

He said it was aimed as a medium to educate students and their parents to tax policies and as advocacy back to the root.

Dr Awodun later inducted all the students that were at the venue as tax ambassadors for KWIRS.

He urged them to always wear their medals and branded T-shirts during the meetings of Tax Club in their respective schools.

The State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, in his remarks appealed to all taxable adults in the state to fulfil their civic duty by paying their taxes regularly.

The Governor, who was represented by his Special Assistant (SA), Special Duties, Mrs Felicia Faremi commended KWIRS for initiating the quiz competition.

He also congratulated the winners of the competition and charged them to put their prizes to good use for the benefit of their education.

Gov Ahmed promised the students that his administration will continue to provide conducive atmosphere for learning.

The Governor said payment of tax was essential and compulsory for the citizens for the provision of infrastructure in the state.

110 schools that participated in the quiz competition received trophy and certificates of participation.