As part of efforts at blocking leakages in revenue collection, the Ekiti State Government has commenced the use of electronic receipt for revenue generated to the State.
The Acting Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Afolabi Adebiyi who made this known in Ado Ekiti, said that all Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been directed to stop using manual receipts and key into the new e-receipt regime in order to ensure the success of the concept of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the State Government and achieve its goals.
Mr Adebiyi said that the State Government engaged consultants to minimize the constraints caused by the restriction in the working hours of Civil Servants.
Noting that the usual 8am to 4pm working hours of the Civil Service as a huge impediment to revenue collection particularly at off hours, Adebiyi said that haulage of goods and farm produce are usually done at night adding that Government had hitherto been losing revenue on such goods.
According to him, hiring consultants was germane since some collections are also made on Saturdays and Sundays, adding that perpetrators of illegal felling of economic trees often engage in the unwholesome act when the Civil Servants are off duty while peculiar assignments such as removal of huge billboards could not be done during official working hours and can only be done at night with unduly disturbing normal activities of the people.
He lauded the activities of the consultants so far, saying the State could now boast of two operational electronic platforms which are the Auto-reg and e-receipt centre.
Warning people in the State against using middlemen or touts to pay money into any government account, Adebiyi said Government has also introduced the Direct Bank Lodgment System(DBLS) which he said would also assist in blocking leakages and boost IGR of the State
Adebiyi assured that Government has concluded arrangements to introduce POS for government payments to curb the challenges of paying at the bank.
He warned that all Government MDAs have been directed to crosscheck all tax papers submitted to them with the Internal Revenue Service to verify the authenticity of the documents, saying that the gesture would ensure that proper and adequate amount is paid as tax.
The IRS boss who noted that there is a marked improvement in the attitude of the people towards payment of tax however stressed the need for more sensitization and tax education of the people to boost voluntary compliance.
