Edo residents applaud Obaseki’s new tech-based revenue collection scheme

Residents of Edo State have applauded Governor Godwin Obaseki’s approval for the deployment of tech-based revenue collection scheme to automate and boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state.

The residents including traders, commercial vehicle operators, business owners, among others, who spoke to journalists said that the use of technology-based revenue collection scheme will ease payment of taxes, levies and other charges paid to the government.

The Chairman, Edo Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Igbinidu Inneh recently said that the technology-driven scheme will automate revenue collection process from data capture, profiling, assessment generation and notification to cashless settlement, adding it will make way for deployment of persons to serve as distributors, sub-distributors, retailers, and enumerators across the 192 wards in the state.  It is expected to create 5,000 jobs within the state.

A commercial vehicle operator in Benin City, Edo State capital, Ikponmwosa Daniel said the state government’s decision to automate revenue collection was a smart move, adding, “if I can use a card to pay my daily levies automatically, that will help a lot.”

Christian Okojie, a commercial vehicle operator who plies Benin-Auchi route, said, “Our governor has continued to bring appreciable changes in how things are done in the state. This technology-based revenue collection system will put a stop to multiple taxation.”

“There are times we pay revenue here in the park in Benin City, but when we get to Auchi, the agents will ask you to pay same revenue which you have already paid in Benin City. From what I understand about the way the payment will be done, I believe this digital payment system will put a stop to the problem we drivers face,” he added.

A trader in Uselu Market, who identified herself as Madam Elizabeth, praised governor Obaseki for the deployment of technology-based revenue collection scheme.

“This will benefit us who are traders the most. All those revenue people who come here to harass us to pay our levies will reduce. Since it will require the use of the card for payment just like it is done with those Comrade Buses, it will be more convenient to pay the levies without anybody coming to harass you,” she said.

Mr. Livinus Emeka who operates a fleet of haulage trucks, said, “I am pleased to hear of the introduction of technology-based revenue collection system. This will end the challenges operators in the haulage business face. I think this is one of the best things for me that Governor Godwin Obaseki has done to eliminate touts, who mount roadblocks on the high way, collecting all kinds of levies from truck drivers at different points.”