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By Uzo Ugwunze
The Idemili North Internally- Generated Revenue IGR team has been tasked to Comport themselves as they interact with business owners because the new Digital Local Government IGR Enumeration/Collection was introduced to eliminate touting and corruption.
Speaking at INLGA Secretariat Ogidi during the appraisal cum interactive meeting between the LG Revenue Coordinators, Technical team and field workers to brainstorm on challenges experienced at the ongoing Digital Revenue Enumeration and Collection, the Revenue Officer, Mrs Chizoba Uneze reminded the IGR team that they have the image of the LGA to protect urging them to Comport themselves according to the rules and regulations they were taught during their training.
“Remember, it is the image of the LGA that you are portraying outside there. Do not drink alcohol while on duty. Dress properly not like a tout, Don’t quarrel with the shop owners. Be polite with them even at the face of provocation. Just pass across your information with good communication skills after proper introduction in your IDN LGA IGR uniform, tag and Identity Card, then elicit the information you need for profiling and enumeration.
“In order to avoid under or over assessment, Check your device and find out the proper amount you will write on the demand notice after proper assessment.
“There are three or four major revenue to collect from business owners. They include Store levy, ASWAMA, Fire service, Licence.
“Photocopy the demand notice or write a duplicate copy which the business owner would sign or acknowledge before he collects the original copy. If he refuses to collect find somewhere and paste it and snap it with your phone as an evidence,” she said.
A Revenue Consultant, Hon Onyedika Osakwe said that the essence of the appraisal meeting was to discuss the challenges the field workers were facing at the field when they meet business owners especially difficult ones who claim to be indigenes or part of government.
“Some will even claim they have paid direct to government while they have not paid. Just get his number and details, don’t fight them,we have an Enforcement team which will be coming after the enumeration and demand notification period. The Enforcement team will do their job. Get evidence that you served them demand notice which will be used to serve them papers from court if the need arises,” said Osakwe.
According to the Supervisory Councillor on Finance, Hon Prince Chinedu Omeofia, we have provided identity tags for proper identification so that nobody will say he is afraid to cooperate with you.
“If someone claims he has paid his tax, explain to them that there are differences between State Government and Local Government revenues. Check through your app. ASIN is key, when you access it , it will show paid or not paid.
“After ASIN is registered, you profile the person until his enumeration registration is complete. Then issue demand notice. If the person wants to pay immediately use our approved POS which is assigned to your team. If the person says he will pay later remember to follow up until the person completes IGR payment.
“The person is free to pay through the POS assigned to you or the approved POS at the Revenue office at the Secretariat. Once you complete the ASIN, profiling and issue the demand notice, the system we recognize you as the person who did the work.
“If someone claims he has paid earlier in the year before Idemili North commenced digital IGR Enumeration and Collection , demand for his receipt, snap it and tell the person to go back to the council Secretariat for proper profiling so that his payment will enter the system before our enforcement team comes for drive.
“Don’t see objections as irritating, it is normal in revenue collection. Don’t be confrontational , we use human face in this job .Know your team leader, Town Union PG, Ward Councillor so that if someone proves stubborn you refer or contact appropriate authority,” said Omeofia .