Anambra House passes bill to block revenue diversion

Awka—THE Anambra State House of Assembly Wednerday passed a bill aimed at blocking leakages in the state’s revenue generation process. The lawmakers said the bill became necessary because of the discovery that many government revenue agents were diverting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, into private pockets. 
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Orumba North constituency, Mr. Romanus Obi, introduced a new system of payment in which only the banks would be used for the collection of government taxes, levies and sundry revenues. It also sought to prevent government agents from collecting revenue by cash, insisting that henceforth, all payments should be through point of sales and bills. Obi, who led the debate during plenary yesterday, explained that the idea behind the bill was to shore up the state’s IGR, noting that a situation whereby money meant for government was diverted into private pockets, would no longer be tolerated. He warned fake revenue agents to steer clear of the revenue generating process, adding that when signed into law by Governor Willie Obiano, officials of the board of internal revenue would be empowered to discipline offenders. According to him,  the bill, when signed into law, would ensure transparency and accountability in the collection of revenue in the state. The speaker, Mrs. Rita Maduagwu, who presided at the plenary, appealed to the citizenry to assist the state government in generating more revenue for the development of the state by complying with the provisions of the bill.