BENIN CITY: The proposed bill to harmonize revenue collection by the various local government areas in Edo state has been signed into law by Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
Governor Godwin Obaseki expresses delight in the quick passage of the bill thanking the State House of Assembly for their commitment to the reforms by his administration.
“I want to thank the speaker and the honorable members in the Edo State House of Assembly for once again demonstrating their commitment to the reforms that this government has committed to pursue. Mr. Speaker, less than a month ago, we submitted a draft bill to harmonize the rate and levies collection by local government councils in Edo State. The action was in pursuance to my new year’s day broadcast where we prohibited none state actors from collecting government revenue.”
Governor Obaseki said it was discovered that the levies and taxes collected especially in local government council was not uniformed as such this bill was introduced. “We thought before re-introducing collection of taxes in the local government councils, we needed to have the enabling law to back such collections. We needed to have harmony and uniformity in this taxes and levies.
“We are very grateful today that in less than one month after submitting the draft, it has been passed and signed into law. What you have assisted us in doing is that you have created a new paradigm and given a new lease of life for our local government in Edo State. We want to assure you that this law will be given full effect”.
He said while waiting for the approval of the bill, the government put in place machinery for the implementation of the bill. “Now that the bill has been signed into law, the machinery will be put in full gear which will include working with the judiciary and security agencies to ensure success of the law”.
Obaseki said his administration has put in place a technology which is not cash base which will make the system efficiency in the collections of this revenue. He said his administration will ensure that all taxes and revenue paid by Edo people are captured and deposited in the treasury of the Edo State Government. “This sum or amount will be judiciously used for the progress and development of the state”.
To ensure transparency, Obaseki said he has instructed that a separate schedule be presented where each local government will announce the taxes collected in each month and how it will be applied. He said this is necessary for the citizens to see how transparent this administration is in collection and usage of the revenue collected from the people.
Earlier the Speaker Edo State House of Assembly Justine Okonobo who led some members of the house and head of some local government administration said the house consider every aspect of the bill before it was passed by members of the house.
“A law to make provision for uniform and harmonize levies, rate, fees and charges collectable by local government council in Edo State to regulate the administration of such levies, rate and charges and for other purposes connected here to. We worked on it, pass it and here for you ascent Mr. Governor”.
