By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Commissioner for Finance in Ogun State, Mr Wale Oshinowo, has disclosed that the state plans to raise its internally generated revenue in 2017 to N114.34 billion from the N105.67 billion it projected in 2016.
Mr Oshinowo made this disclosure in Abeokuta, the state capital, during an interactive session with a select journalist.
He said the Mr Ibikunle Amosun-led administration has put measures in place to achieve the N114 billion IGR target.
During the session, the Commissioner noted that the state government was making efforts to ensure it does not have to rely on federal allocations to meet its financial obligations next year.
According to Mr Oshinowo, government will introduce new revenue lines in 2017 to bolster the state’s IGR.
He explained that this will include the Home Owners’ Charter in which over 600,000 applications are being processed for reduced certificate of occupancy fee.
This fee, he said, would not have been realized if the scheme was not introduced, adding that the state will also embark on the Land Use Act, which will enable the state to collect land use charge, a ground rent from companies and individual land owners in the state.
The Commissioner said over the years, government has continually raised its IGR due to the implementation of a Revenue Harmonisation Scheme that has helped to block leakages in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government MDAs.
He said this has enabled the state to avoid multiple taxations of businesses between the state and the local government that has boosted the state revenue.
Adedapo Adesanya