Growth and employment in states (GMES3) and the Pan-Africa banking conglomerate, Eco bank has partnered Alimosho local government by going digital on the launching of the point of payment (PoP) automated machines that will be used for collection and payment of taxes and levies.
The event which took place at the council’s secretariat had in attendance various stakeholders who all expressed their delight at the initiative and urge the people to embrace the use of the machine as it will aid rapid development of the area.
GEMS3 works with private and public stakeholders at national, state and local government levels to make it easier to do business in Nigeria. It does so through interventions which generate positive change in the business environment, by focusing on three main work streams; land, business tax and investment.
“The point of payment collection system will help to bring growth in the local government. It is an initiative of the transition committee in partnership with GEMS3 and Eco bank,” Jelili Sulaiman, Executive Secretary of Alimosho LG.
Adejumobi Fashola, State Intervention Manager, Gems3, “the main purpose is to improve the business environment and in doing that we focus in three main areas tax, investment and land. But today we are focusing mainly on tax at the local govt level which has being a source of discordance, multiple taxation incidence because the local government is entering into the state territory, we believe that many business suffer from that so to address this we partner with local councils and also ensure that stay within their harmonised rate by ensuring that the business man does not pay excess tax.”
“Secondly there are loopholes in the tax system, but the use of this PoP will help to eliminate leakages in the tax system and promoting the cashless policy,” he said.
Also speaking at the launch, one of the representatives of Eco bank which is also a partner of the local government on the PoP, Mojisola Oguntoyinbo, Head Public Sector Lagos, said “It’s a test run a pilot phase, a test run for revenue collection within the local government and its not stopping at Alimosho we are going to replicate it in the entire country.”
“The money collected will go straight into the local government account, we this we believe there will be enhance platform for payment and increase in revenue because a lot of people will be reached since payment will be more convenient and accessible,” she said.
“The PoP is like two in one it does both cash payment and card payments,” she adds.
Josephine Okojie
