The Bayelsa Government says it would soon suspend cash collection of government revenues to block leakages and boost its internally generated revenue profile.
The state Deputy Governor, Rear Adm. John Jonah (Rtd), who announced the development in Yenagoa yesterday, said that from January, all revenues accruable to the state would be collected through Point of Sale terminals using debit cards.
The Tide source reports that the deputy governor, along with officials of the Bayelsa Board of Internal Revenue and other revenue generating agencies of the state government, visited the Igbogene entry point in Yenagoa.
Addressing the officials, Jonah said that the visit was to look into reports of multiple taxation, harassment and intimidation of visitors entering the state.
“We have got reports of excessive taxation resulting to higher costs of goods and services, revenue leakages and this is not good for our state, because they pass the cost to the final consumers.
“Going forward we shall review the entire revenue collection mechanism and stop the current method of collecting cash and issuing receipts, as most of the revenues collected do not reflect in government finances.
“In the new year, there is going to be a different approach; we have to be civil and friendly in our quest to improve the revenue base, as we are poised to attract businesses to Bayelsa and not scare them away to other states,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Bayelsa Governor on Revenue and Treasury, Mr Seipulou Timipre, explained that the government had streamlined the revenue collection process to be led by the state board of internal revenue.
He said henceforth, a joint revenue team led by the board of internal revenue would be deployed to the two entry points to the state at Igbogene.
Timipre said that government would spell out the revenue rates and make it easier and more convenient for people to pay without cash.