Adelegbe lauds Akeredolu’s efforts in increasing IGR

The member representing Owo/Ose Federal Constituency of Ondo State in the National assembly, Otunba Timehin Adelegbe has commended the Akeredolu led Government for its current giant strides in the generation of internal revenue to boost the economy of the state.

Adelegbe, who is a renowned Banker and Economist by profession, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, quoted the latest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which shows that Ondo is presently one of the top ten states that generated the highest revenue in Nigeria between January and June 2019.

According to the business oriented legislator, it is worthy of note that Ondo state generated a whopping sum N19 billion of the total N691.11 billion generated by the 36 states and the FCT inclusive in the first half of the year.

According to him, “The report by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that thirty-one states and the FCT recorded growth in IGR, of which Ondo is one, while five states recorded a decline in IGR at the end of June 2019. This can easily be attributed to the brilliant policies of the Akeredolu-led Administration in regulating tax collection especially through automation in the state.”

The former Ondo state Commissioner for Commerce and currently a member House Committee on Budget and Appropriations in the House of Representatives specifically commended the assiduous efforts of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in revamping the State agencies directly involved in generating revenues, especially the Ondo state Internal Revenue Service under the Chairmanship of Mr Tolu Adegbie, who he commended for his brilliance and bringing his wealth of experience gathered in the banking sector to bare. Moving the half yearly performance from average of N5billion in 2016 and 2017 to N9billion in 2018 and astronomical N19billion in 2019 is highly appreciable and commendable.

Otunba Adelegbe stated that “it is not surprising that citizens of Ondo state are not finding it too difficult to pay their taxes, considering the quantum and massive infrastructural developments being witnessed in the state, especially road rehabilitations and constructions.

He added that the problem of tax evasion in the past was rampart because the government could not point at any meaningful projects done in the state with the tax payers money, which made people of the state to see those non-performing governments as a task masters and slave drivers”.

Adelegbe said the present up shoot in the IGR of Ondo state is a big plus to the state in the sense that it has empowered the state to meet its recurrent expenditure without stress, which he believes has informed the regular payment of workers’ salaries and embarking on capital projects in major parts of the state.

He specifically cited some roads being constructed and rehabilitated within the state like Iwalewa Road, High Court Road, Oke Ogba and so on in Akure metropolis, Sabomi Road in Ese Odo, Opasorun Road, Bajare/Okemayo, St. Joseph Road in Idanre, three box culverts at Oyinmomo Ishakunmi Road in Ikare, the 2.3km Ogbomo Ifedara, Ajegunle Streets and Howlet Road, Ifon, completion of dualized township road in Owo, construction of dualized township road in Ikare Akoko, construction of Ijoka-Idanre road among many others.

There are many ways of generating of raising internal revenue.

Its simply a honest and collaborative effort between the government and the people.

Owing to the rich and abundant human and natural resources at our disposal, it is sufficient to say states can fully meet thier need without/with minimal intervention of the FG.

Kudos to the few states that have tried to start a new story.

Tax tax tax......mugus must pay!