By Ayodele Abere
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji has described the IGR as a barometer to measuring economic progress and prosperity.
The Governor who was ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Abibat Adubiaro stated this on Thursday while launching the LSSBI payment system tagged “Irorunde” at the Governor’s office, Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
Oyebanji who affirmed that the State IGR has had the impressive surge from about six hundred million naira to 1.3 billion naira, commended the Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Internal Reveue Service, Mr. Olaniran Olatona and his team for the great job they are doing.
“It’s my pleasure to be here today to launch an innovative initiative aimed at making tax payment as simple as ABC. I am therefore happy that the increase in IGR is not as a result of increae in tax charges or introduction of new taxes but indicative of a real improvement in revenue.
The Governor used the occasion to appreciate all the revenue generating MDAs, Corporate and Individual Tax Payers for their cooperations. With the new solution, Oyebanji said the days of paperwork are over as he said that Irorunde is secure, reliable and user friendly with payment posted in real time.
Introducing the product, the Chief Executive Officer of LSSBI, Mr. Oladipo Ishola said with the new solution in the operation of EKIRS, you don’t have to travel long distances to pay tax anymore, adding that all it requires is just to dial the *5229# code on the phone to select the closest tax office after which you put your NIN or BVN to validate the transaction and generate your Tax Identification Number (TIN).
He said this can be completed within just twenty to twenty-five seconds without having to visit the bank and that it’s dedicated to EKIRS oniy with several other advantages attached.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Budget in Ekiti, Hon. Niyi Adebayo, lauded the new initiative saying one interesting thing about the USSD code is that it is designed for all kinds of mobile phones not necessarily Android, but any phone that has keypad.
“I will like to appreciate the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service led by the Chairman for bringing forth the app which makes life much easier for us. You don’t have to do anything other than to just sit at the convenient of your office or home and make your transaction.” Said the Commissioner.
Urging everyone to take a very good advantage of the initiative, Hon. Niyi Adebayo said it’s not going to increase the tax burden or do anything to take more money from the users but just a way of making things easier.
Dignitaries at the event among others include; Commissioner for Transport in the State, Hon. Kehinde Ajibiewe, the State Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs) Folakemi Olomojobi and many Permanent Secretaries.