By okey alozie
Government slage hammer is about to fall on revenue collectors in the Local Government Areas of Imo State. The commissioner for Internal Generated Revenue and Pension Hon Nick Oparandudu, in an Exclusive interview with Trumpeta Newspaper Tuesday disclosed that Imo Government is on the move top block all the loop holes through which people syphones LGA money in the name of IGR Consultant.
According to him billions of naira have been wasted by the past Governments who allowed the so called consultant to operate without being checkmated adding that from now on every IGR payment will be done online as nobody will be expected to handle cash any longer.
“We are making move to get the LGA’s account into basket” the commissioner said.
Speaking further he hinted that in the next one month what the consultants (Agents) will issue is invoice.
He explained that every kobo realized from IGR must be paid into the special account of the council.
He stated that the LGAs are now in partnership with the state Government to make sure that there are no wastages any longer.
He revealed that with the opening of special IGR account in all the local government areas of the state N2B monthly target could be achieved without much difficulties adding that the consultants now will only depend on their percentage as agreed and nothing more.
From our investigation, the Director of Administration and General Services and other key officers of the LGAs will be signatory to the IGR special account which will always supervise on regular bases.
We also noted that the LGA stakeholders have been directed by the state to choose their own consultants and banks.
Information revealed that the whole arrangement is made in such a way that no body could handle cash in the system again.
This is unlike in the past when people pay cash to consultants and the in-turn pay the IGR money into their private accounts not to that of the government.
Further investigation has revealed also that the cabal in the state and local government are working against this online system to make sure that it did not succeed.
Some of the financial experts who spoke to our reporter on this issue gave Imo Governor Kudos for initiating such a process.
According to them, the new arrangement will put many fraudsters at lost.
They advised the commissioner to open his eyes very well to discover other loop holes.
In a related development, there are serious indications that Imo Government may shot down banks again if things did not workout well.
The commissioner in charge of IGR and pension, Hon Nick Oparandudu disclosed that the State Government gave Banks 45 days to arrange themselves as well as bring information for their reassessment.
According to him, the period of grace is almost elapsing “with the meeting we are so far having with there is every hope that they must surely meet up our demand”. He said.
On the issue of emblems, he confirmed that his Ministry is fully in charge since it is a road tax.
He also hinted that government is building new parks and after which they will force all vehicles to go inside and
