Executive Chairman, Bayelsa Board of Internal Revenue, Dr. Daniel Eniekezimene said the board has recorded 300% increase in the internally generated revenue of the State since he assumed office.
The chairman who spoke at a media briefing in the Board’s Conference Hall in Yenagoa , stated that the IGR which stood at N1.2 billion before his assumption of office has now risen to N4.2billion due to the innovations of the current board.
He said besides increment in the state’s IGR, the innovations of the board which include the Electronic Ticketing System, has also introduced sanity in the revenue collection process and significantly reduced touting, corruption and extortion.
Eniekezemene explained that contrary to the misinformation in certain quarters, the electronic ticketing system does not take away the jobs of existing ticketers but will rather create more jobs and more pay for the ticketers as the state government had graciously approved various percentages for everyone in the revenue collection chain in the state. He called on the peddlers of fake news to exhibit their love for Bayelsa State by supporting the policies of the State Government.
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According to the Chairman, the Electronic Ticketing System has worked in other states such as Enugu where they generate up to N700,000,000 monthly from the informal sector alone, a feat he said was recognised nationally and earned Enugu State an award of excellence in revenue generation and innovation.
On the choice of the technology providers, Dr. Eniekezemene stated that they were selected through a rigorous process by an inter ministerial team led by the Due Process and E Governance team, stressing that they have a track record of performance having Implemented same initiative in five states.
He called on stakeholders and tax payers in general to embrace the initiative, saying it was designed to serve both the interest of the state and that of tax payers.
While expressing gratitude to Governor Douye Diri for the opportunity to serve, Dr. Eniekezemene stressed that the aim of the incumbent board is to increase the internally generated revenue of the state to the point where Bayelsa can rely on it for its development and not necessarily depending on revenue accruing from the federation account and called for all hands to be on deck.
