By Amidu Arije
Following continued delay in implementation of the full autonomy for local governments in Nigeria, the executive chairman of Oshodi-Isolo local government, Otunba Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede has set out strategies to optimise the council’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and boost the local government revenue base.
Oloyede, who said as the preparation for the full implementation of the local government autonomy is set to birth, the council needs to internalise its source of revenue to help it continue on the pedestal of infrastructure development.
As a plan to actualise this, the council boss called on the residents, market men and women as well as union leaders to ensure they pay the required fee due as tax and levies to the council purse to enable it run smoothly.
Otunba Oloyede said the local government, being the closest to the people should not dependent on the federal government for payment of salaries, infrastructural development projects and other sundry projects.
He tasked the revenue collection team to double their efforts in generating revenue for the council, saying the local government should not continue to wait for the federal and state governments for revenue.
“We should be independent of the federal government for our running costs and others, we should not depend on the federal and state governments for our revenue,” he said.
The council chairman frowned at the unremitted revenue generated on behalf of the council by some civil servants in charge of revenue.
He also condemned in totality illegal revenue generated by one Mr. Oladunmoye from illegal motorcycle operations who was said to be generating over N6milion weekly on motorcycle tolls collection.
He said, he will ensure that the accrued revenue for the council from the members of the transport operators are remitted to the council purse for it to run effectively.
An independent committee on economy and internally generated revenue has however been set up to drive home the idea of increasing the IGR of the council.
The committee is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that all revenues are generated and remitted into the council account.
Members of the committee are the Vice Chairman, Hon. (Mrs.) Modupe Aregbe-Badmus; Secretary to the local government, Hon. Smart Akinleye; Chief of Staff, Hon. Leke Banjoko; and Hon. Kehinde Adewale Adekunle, who is now redeployed to the revenue department as a result of his vast experience in revenue generation. He will serve as secretary to the committee while the executive chairman, Otunba Oloyede will chair the committee.
Others are Council Treasurer, Special Adviser on legal matters Barr.Joseph Asine, Supervisor for Special Duties, Hon. Yusuf Adesanya; Supervisor for environment, Hon. Femi Ajayi; Special Adviser on Education, Hon. Gideon Balogun.
To intimate the general public on this new development on IGR drive, a stakeholders meeting is slated for Friday.
