Executive Chairman of Oyo State Internal Revenue Service, Aremo John Adeleke has disclosed that the state will soon start the collection of informal sector tax with the use of mobile apps.
Speaking at a sensitisation tour and meeting of market leaders from 14 major markets across Ibadan, held at the Ogunpa market, Ibadan, Aremo Adeleke said the state government has concluded plans to begin the collection and that the annual collection of tax, especially among traders, markets and artisans takes immediate effect.
Adeleke while speaking through the Director of Other Taxes in Oyo state, Mr Idowu Alao said the purpose of the meeting was to encourage traders, artisans, shop owners, market men and women, among others to continue to be awake to their civic responsibilities as a way of supporting the government.
He pointed out that Oyo state government has refused to increase the tax payable by the traders, market men and women, artisans, shop owners and all others operating in the informal sector because of its understanding of the current economic situation in the country.
The IRS Executive Chairman, however assured the people of the state and the traders in particular that Oyo state government “is doing a lot to ensure business prosperity and economic development in the state,” noting that in no long time, the effects will translate to improved sales which will be felt by the traders.
Speaking, Oyo state Tax Manager in Charge of Informal Sector, Mrs Yetunde Awotona said the new modalities being deployed for the new tax collection regime was a means of ensuring well coordinated approach through the use of tax agents with the aid of tax collection application pre-installed on their mobile phones.
She said the traders and people in the informal sector have been cooperative over the years in the payment of the taxes but that the OYSIRS deemed it fit to embark on the approach as a means of strengthening the bond of cooperation between the government and the operators in the informal sector, adding that the new modality would also entail the use of tax agent offices located inside the various markets across the state to make tax payment easier and more convenient for the traders.
