Lagos adopts online payment, abolishes tax collection in cash

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Monday, made an announcement that the State Government would no longer accept cash payment in revenue collection.
The governor said this will be effective from March 1, 2018, and that the measure is aimed at improving on service delivery to residents of the State and to block revenue leakages.
He made this announcement, on Monday, while publicly paying his Land Use Charge, at Opebi branch of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), in the presence of top management staff of the bank.
He said the transaction process in revenue collection had now been made easy for the people as they can now pay every day, any time and online.
“In order to ensure that the government improves on the quality of service delivery to our people, effective from 1st March, 2018, no payment or taxes will be made by cash henceforth across the State.
“Tax payers should be able to pay all legitimate bills through all payment channels at their own time and convenience. The transaction process is now going to be every day, anytime and no weekends.
“We should be able to pay our taxes from any bank, any branch using web pay, pay point and USSD, thereby encouraging mobile money without any contact with government officials. I repeat, every kobo counts; do not pay into wrong hands anymore,” Ambode said.
While explaining why he led the payment of Land Use Charge,  Ambode said the State Government could not preach and promise prosperity without leading by example.
“Today, what we are doing is to back up our talk with our work. The State Government cannot be promising prosperity in the future without investing in the future. I have just invested my quota by paying my Land Use Charge and I ask all residents and citizens to join me by courageously making a decision for prosperity and pay all their due taxes.
“Just as I paid, instantly, I received my receipt as evidence of payment which shows that every kobo I have invested is going directly to the Lagos State Government account.
“Lagosians, with your full support, there is evidence that every kobo paid in taxes has been productively utilised in infrastructural renewal and development of this State in the last two and half years,” he said
The governor then directed all the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State to adjust their tax collection machines to also eliminate all leakages.