Ondo State Government and the 18 local governments in the state have shared a total sum of N137, 511,600.00 million naira revenue collected from the Land Use Charge for the first six months of the year.
The Radio and Television collection including theTaxis and Buses ticket sales totalling N69,699,788,56 million were also shared to the local governments at the state Internal Revenue Service office Akure.
The Chairman of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS), Mr Tolu Adegbie at the official presentation of the cheque said Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has directed the increase in the local government areas’ percentage of the sharing formula from 20 percent to 30 percent.
The state got 70percent instead of the initial 80percent implemented last year december.
He added that the local government areas received N40.5million from the total money collected, the sum of N2,511,600million for administrative charges for the Revenue Service while the state gets the remaining N94.5 million.
According to him, “the collection was increased this year because people have returned to business activities after the COVID-19 challenges. Many of them have got more enligthenment on the payment of the Land Use Charge as most people walked down to pay willingly.”
He noted that the state has started to implement the Land Use charge law as he disclosed that over 100 cases of defaulters have been arraigned at the court.
He advised that people should endeavour to do the needful rather than facing the wrath of the law.
From the Radio and Television collection, from December to Febuary 2021,sum of N7.28million was collected, from March to April 2021, N4.8million while May to June 2021 has a sum of N3.92million totalling N16million.
He said the Taxis and Buses ticket sales from Febuary to June 2021 was N13,199,788.56 million which gives a total of N 69,699,788.56million.
Each local government area got the sum of N2,250,000 Mllion from the collection made between the period under review.
The State Accountant General Mrs Toyin Oni who was represented by Mr Orisabinumi Segun applauded the revenue service for meeting the expectation inspite of the economic challenges.
She suggested that more actions be taken to ensure that every citizen obliges to payment of the Land Use Charge.
Speaking , the Chairman of Akure South Local government, Mr Olaniyi Gbenga, commended the state government for the increment of the percentage of money acrued to them, as well as, the increase made in the collection of the Land Use Charge.
Olaniyi who is also the State Secretary of ALGON assured the people of the judicious use of the money saying that they would ensure that people reap dividends of democracy by providing the infrastructural development in the communities and the local government areas across the state.
From the collection of the Land Use Charge, it showed Akure Local government led with N40million, followed by Ilaje with N35Million and Ondo West with N18million.
Ese Odo had the least collection of N515, 000 ,Irele with N743,000 while Ose has N805,000 collection between the period under review.
