Akure: The Ondo State Government has announced a strategic initiative aimed at eliminating unauthorized revenue collection on highways throughout the state. This move was disclosed by the Acting Chairman of the Ondo State Revenue Service (ODRIS), Mr. Bayo Rojugbokan, during an interview in Akure.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Rojugbokan emphasized the Joint Revenue Board’s (JRB) ban on all road taxes, stickers, and manual revenue collections by both state and non-state actors on highways. The primary goal of this ban is to enhance the ease of doing business by ensuring that all tax payments are conducted digitally through approved channels.
Mr. Rojugbokan highlighted that the enforcement measures are designed to terminate coercive and illegal revenue practices. The state government has formed a dedicated task force to patrol roads and target individuals involved in unauthorized revenue collection and harassment of motorists.
He stated, “Anybody you see on the road now collecting tax are non-stat
e actors, henceforth we’re going after them and arrest them. Apart from the Ondo State task force on illegal revenue collection, the Joint Revenue Board has its own team patrolling to ensure that people do not stay on the road to harass Nigerians again.”
The ODRIS chairman elaborated on the new tax law, noting that it has harmonized tax administration into a streamlined framework, effectively eliminating multiple taxation. The clampdown is set to commence from April, in the second quarter of the year, with residents encouraged to report any illegal collectors to the authorities.
Mr. Rojugbokan further explained the state’s commitment to leveraging technology to facilitate tax payments. The introduction of an online platform is intended to simplify the payment process for taxpayers, ensuring that tax collection is no longer a burden. Residents can now register, select the tax to be paid, and complete transactions online, with receipts delivered directly to their phones.
Additionally, the process for obtaini
ng a tax clearance certificate has been digitized. Mr. Rojugbokan assured that applications could be made online or through the nearest tax station, with approvals communicated via email within a day.
He urged residents to fully embrace the digital system and refrain from engaging with unauthorized individuals, assuring that strict enforcement would bring transparency and order to tax administration in Ondo State.