How Automated Omoluabi Card Can Help Boost Osun IGR – Bola Oyebamiji

By Kingsley Omoyeni

The importance of an automated card otherwise known as “Omoluabi Card” for every taxable adult of Osun as a means of improving revenue in the state has been reemphasised.

Supervisor for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji stated this during the weekly Finance conglomerate meeting held at the board room of the Ministry of Finance, state secretariat, Abere.

He said if the system is well organized and taxable adults in the state are captured through an automated technology, it will go a long way in assisting the state to further improve the state’s revenue, as the Ministry of Finance will have an accurate data of every taxable resident and monitor the IGR drive of the state seamlessly.

Oyebamiji explained further that it will go a long way in helping the state to get the required tax and levies from any taxable adult of the state without much stress as those who have paid their taxes will be seen at glance through the database, same for those who are yet to pay, making it extremely difficult for any government official to embezzle such funds.

The Finance expert who is also in charge of the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives and Industries stressed that advanced countries of the world are able to collect necessary taxes from their citizens because of the efficient automated system which have been put in place.

According to him, “if we want to achieve new results, we need to stop doing things the old way. The idea of the “Omoluabi Card” which we have been trying to implement will go a long way in assisting the state in a lot of positive ways.

“With the card in place, cases of tax evasion will be extremely difficult for any taxable adult, the card will make it easy for the software which we are developing to monitor the state’s finances to capture every tax or levy paid into the treasury from any part of the world.

“So apart from the other advantages of the card which include security and for the government to be able to know the actual number of taxable adults in the state at a glance for easy provision of amenities, it will also help in boosting our IGR and grow the local economy.

“These things am explaining may take time, but once the process is triggered, we will surely get there and it’s going to help correct a lot of negatives in our society. The orientation will change for good if everyone knows that government has a tab on them, people will have a sense of belonging and will naturally do the right thing without being forced. It is not that people do not want to pay their taxes, they just want a system that works, let us help to build model citizens.”. Oyebamiji explained.