Oladele Bankole-Balogun, the chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), stated his intention to transform revenue collection in Edo State, with a short-term goal of over N10 billion in revenue.
Bankole-Balogun discussed his plans on Thursday, stating that records from the previous administration show an average monthly revenue of N6.4 billion, with a peak of N7.8 billion in January 2024. Nevertheless, he is certain that putting new reforms into place will greatly increase the state’s revenue generation.
In order to achieve this, the Chairman said, “We are committed to cleaning up the system, blocking loopholes, and phasing out manual revenue collection. It’s time to modernize our processes.”
He added that the practice of using tax officers armed with canes to chase citizens for tax payments is outdated and will be abolished.
Bankole-Balogun made known that he has received the blessing of the governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to introduce cutting-edge technologies designed to streamline revenue collection, eliminate inefficiencies, and maximise the state’s income.
“We aim to double what the state currently generates. There’s nothing stopping us from achieving N12 billion monthly in the long run, but my immediate target is N10 billion after implementing all the reforms we are about to introduce.”
“Governor Monday Okpebholo has a bold vision for the state and is set to usher in a new era of efficient revenue collection, ensuring increased resources for Edo State’s development,” he said.
