Implementation of SIRTS, SHF has come to stay, says OGIRS
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has assured the people of Agbara in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of the state that his administration will intensify efforts to complete the ongoing construction of Atan/Lusada/Agbara road to further boost the socio-economic development of the area and the state.

The governor gave this assurance, yesterday, at the inauguration of the State Fire and Safety Service Station at Agbara town, as part of his second term campaign tour to the council.

Abiodun noted that the road leading to the largest industrial hub in the country had been in a deplorable condition for long without any attention by successive governments.

“This local council is very important to Ogun and Nigeria. It made us the industrial capital of Nigeria. I am here to inspect the 21-kilometre Atan/Lusada/Agbara road. This road had been in bad condition for a very long time and neglected by previous administrations. Trailers were falling on the road and this made industries to relocate to Ghana and other neighbouring countries, causing Agbara Industrial Estate to turn a shadow of itself.

“With the little we have done, economic activities are being revived. We will intensify efforts to ensure that the road is completed, and when I come here next time, it will be for the commissioning,” the governor stated.

He explained that the new fire station, with state-of-the-art facilities and an ambulance point for quick response to emergencies, was in fulfilment of the promises he made during his campaign tour in 2019, noting that three other stations had been built in Mowe, Ibafo and Isheri.

Chairman, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council, Sheriff Musa, described the fire station as long-awaited.
ALSO, the state government has reiterated its determination to continue with the implementation of the Single Inter State Road Tax Stickers (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF) as agreed with chairmen of other states’ internal revenue service, and that of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the 151st Joint Tax Board (JTB) meeting last year.

Executive Chairman of Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS), Mr. Olugbenga Olaleye, who disclosed this during SIRTS and SHF Stakeholders’ Engagement/Sensitisation meeting with OGIRS/JTB at Obas’
Complex Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the initiative was to harmonise various payments made by transporters, promote ease of doing business nationwide, while improving government’s Internally Generated Revenue
(IGR).

While noting that the initiative is for the benefit of transporters and government, he explained that it would be a win-win situation for transporters and government when compared to how various payments were made by transporters before the innovation.

Olaleye said the SIRTS, just like the consolidated emblem levy paid by transporters, would be paid yearly, while SHF would be paid per transaction at the point of loading and offloading the goods.

According to him, the JTB, as administrative body for easy implementation of the process nationally, was moving round the states to sensitise stakeholders, including security agents, on how to implement and enforce the initiative.

In his remark, the JTB Team Lead, Amos Oduloye, applauded the state for the level it has got to in implementing the initiative, compared to other states.

He noted that JTB, as umbrella body for all tax authorities, was to ensure harmony among the states nationwide by creating a platform for implementation of the initiative.

Ogun Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Umar Ahmed, welcomed the idea, describing it as long overdue, comparing its uniformity nature to vehicle licence that was tenable anywhere in the country.