Nigeria: Multiple Taxes – Cross River Deploys ICT for Revenue Collection

 

26 May 2014

Senior IT. Correspondent Local government areas in Cross River State have introduced payment of levies through Point of Sale terminals in market places so as to curb multiple taxation and thefts by tax collectors. The move, a joint effort between the state government and the Growth Employment in States, also known as GEMS3, will boost revenue generation.
 
GEMS3 programme is a partnership between the Federal Government and the UK Department for International Development, designed to ease business transactions in Nigeria. The initiative is currently undergoing test-running in Calabar Municipal Government, Calabar South, Ikom, Obubra, Yala, Boki, Akpabuyo and Ogoja local government areas. Addressing shop owners and markets women at Ika-Ika Oqua and Akim markets, Chairman, Calabar Municipal LGA, Donatus Etim, said payment of levies through PoS would eliminate the problem of multiple taxation. He said a bye-law, No 001/2004, introduced by the council, had given legitimacy to the initiative. 

Etim said the campaign was aimed at creating awareness on the existence new bye-law and the harmonised levies to be paid through the PoS.

Continuing, he said, “this is to avoid traders and market women from falling prey to the antics of touts and erring council revenue officials who come to the markets to collect multiple levies from shop owners and market women.”

 

The Programme Coordinator of GEMS3 in Cross River State, Geraldine Oku, said her agency was working with the state government and the nine LGAs to eliminate multiple taxes and ensure conducive business environment for all citizens, especially women and the poor.
 
 
Source: Daily Independent (Lagos)