The Chairman of Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), Richard Madiebo, has disclosed that the agency has recorded an appreciable increase in the state’s monthly internally generated revenue (IGR) from an average of N1.5 billion to N2 billion.
At a press briefing, Madiebo said that the increase represented about 33.4 per cent over the state’s revenue inflow in the last one year.
He attributed the increase to the digital innovations introduced in the revenue collection process, which helped to reduce leakages.
He said that Governor Chukwuma Soludo started off in 2022 with a successful war against touts and illegal revenue collectors.
He, however, expressed concern over the alleged return of the miscreants to the system.
According to him, some traditional rulers, president generals and youth groups in some communities have constituted themselves into revenue agents, extorting motorists in the name of government.
Madiebo said that others were molesting and extorting residents in the guise of enforcing revenue drives on behalf of the government.
He warned that, henceforth, those involved in such illegal acts would be arrested and the full weight of the law would be visited on them.
On her part, Commissioner for Transport, Mrs Patricia Igwebuike, while disclosing that the approved rate for various categories of transporter remained the same, also encouraged operators to endeavour to pay via the approved channels and obtain official receipts.
