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Lagos State will no longer accept cash payment in revenue collection effective from March 1, 2018, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said.
He made this known on Monday after he paid his Land Use Charge, at the Opebi branch of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in the presence of top management staff of the bank.
Governor Ambode said the measure was aimed at improving on service delivery to residents of the state and to block all revenue leakages.
According to him, transaction process in revenue collection has now been “made easy for the people who can now pay every day any time and online.”
Said the Governor, “in order to ensure that the government improves on the quality of service delivery to our people, effective from 1st March, 2018, no payment or taxes will be made by cash henceforth across the state.
“Tax payers should be able to pay all legitimate bills through all payment channels at their own time and convenience. The transaction process is now going to be every day, anytime and no weekends.
“We should be able to pay our taxes from any bank, any branch using webpay, paypoint and USSD, thereby encouraging mobile money without any contact with government officials. I repeat, every kobo counts; do not pay into wrong hands anymore.”
He said in partnership with Interswitch Limited, all the multi-layer platforms would henceforth be deployed and used by all government Ministries, Agencies, Parastatals, Associated Companies and Units.
He noted that with the support of Lagosians, “there is evidence that every kobo paid in taxes has been productively utilised in infrastructural renewal and development of this state in the last two and half years.”
The Governor also expressed the hope that his government will continue to gain the trust and confidence of the residents to move the state forward.
“Every one kobo you pay as taxes, we will give greater value and comfort to all citizens without anyone left behind,” Ambode said.
He directed all the Local Government Areas (LGAs), and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), in the state to adjust their collection machineries to also eliminate all leakages.
