By Uzo Ugwunze
The Idemili North Local Government has engaged Revenue adhoc staff on a one day intensive training urging them to uphold professionalism, decorum and civility as they embark on local Government revenue notification, revenue generation, drive and enforcement within the 10 communities that make up the LGA.
Speaking during the training, INLGA Revenue Officer, Chizoba Uneze said that essence of the training was to equip the adhoc workers made up of about 10 person from each community to gather revenue due for the LG council in the hands of shop owners, small& medium enterprises and factories among others.
” We teach them how to write, detach, place demand notice and obtain contact address and phone numbers of people obligated to make such payments. We show them the various tariffs, how to communicate with those people on the need to pay within 7 days to avoid penalties or being sued to court”.
“Payment can be made with cash or transfer because our staff will be wearing branded vests and identification cards. Every transaction will be receipted. The reason for the adequate training is to make sure that Idemili North LGA achieves the 1 billion naira revenue target for year 2025”, Uneze said.
The facilitator and Revenue Consultant, Hon Onyedika Osakwe said that the essence of the training was to inculcate proper mode of conduct and virtues in the newly recruited adhoc revenue workers. Being that some revenue windows have not been tapped, We are preparing them to reach every nook and cranny of the Communities in INLGA.
“We teach them to eschew violence but to rather be polite and to dress responsibly whenever they are going about their duties, never to drink alcohol while on duty or take bribe from prospective revenue payers in order not to hinder the efficiency of revenue generation.
According to the Supervisory Councillor on Finance, Hon Prince Chinedu Omeofia, I discovered that from 3 years ago till date, Idemili North did not generate up to 30 percent of its revenue which is a huge loss.
” I told each community to give me 10 persons that will assist in collecting the revenue from their own community so that people who claim to be sons of the soil and refuse to pay will be made to pay this time. Money generated from Idemili North is used to carry out projects in the State.For example, from Aforigwe to upper Iweka is zero pot holes because of tax payers money.
However, the Enforcement Team Leader INLGA, Hon Onyedika Abanobi advised the revenue collectors to leave the task of enforcement to his team. “The revenue workers do not need to panic or fight with anyone. Once they serve the Demand notice and the person refuses to pay we know what to do within the ambit of the law.
“We are here to help the government to make sure that our IGR increases. People that are hijacking the Idemili North revenue will release it this time. We appreciate His Excellency Prof Chukwuma Soludo for the projects he has been executing and our Mayor, Chief Stanley Nkwoka for the good works he has been doing in the LGA,” said Abanobi.