Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun state has confirmed the state has been losing between N3bn and N5bn to illegal revenue collectors.
He said this on Monday while flagging off a policy to eradicate multiplicity in haulage revenue collection at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.
The governor said it was worrisome that the state had lost a lot of revenue because some unscrupulous elements had printed their own tickets, stickers and issuing them to unsuspecting haulage operators and traders on the roads.
Amosun said with the commencement of the harmonisation of the haulage revenue collection, a task force had been established to arrest any illegal toll collectors and that such suspects would be prosecuted.
The governor said the new policy would not only block leakages but it would also safeguard the taxpayers from losing their hard-earned money to unbridled illegal toll collectors.
He said:
“The new policy document will put in place several measures including issuance of coded-pre numbered tickets to be paid for upfront by tax consultants and collectors less commission to government coffers.
“There will also be printed security and uniform tickets and stickers for payers, and setting up of formidable taskforce to monitor the process and toll points for results.
“There will be provision of sign posts at approved toll points and control posts.”
PUNCH
