Ogun state government is looking to shore up its revenue through Pay-As-You-Earn, considering the proposed housing units and housing estates planned by Lafarge Cement WAPCO, Honeywell Group among other multinational companies operating in Ogun state scheduled to commence soon in some industrial estates across the State.
BusinessDay learnt that the proposed corporate housing units planned mainly for workers of these companies were in accordance with Ogun state government’s much-publicised residency rule and its plan to domesticate all the workers that are working and earning in the State, but remitting their PAYE taxes to Lagos state, thereby preventing Lagos state and other neighbouring states from collecting taxes meant for Ogun state.
Consequently, the Ogun state government, through Internal Revenue Service is planning to spend big this year, budgeting N1.763 billion on sensitization, publicity, logistics and staff welfare, which according to the agency’s chairman, Babajide Odubanjo, could fetch State government about N28 billion in revenue, especially from PAYE if well driven and pursued.
Speaking at a forum recently in Abeokuta on the State’s revenue for year 2014, Babajide Odubanjo, chairman, State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS) disclosed that government is resolved to meet its N28 billion revenue target this year through adequate tax collection and effective blockage of financial leakages.
He said that the State government, having observed corporate organizations and multi-national companies proposed privately-owned housing estates and units for their workforce to alleviate rigor and sufferings undergone due to inadequate or lack of housing as well as efforts to house them close their factories, would shore up its revenue, majorly from PAYE taxes.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Government has commenced the construction of low and middle -income earning prototype houses at the Plainfields estate within the Olusegun Obansanjo Hilltop estate located at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, the State capital.
The houses which are of different sizes, including one, two, three and four bedroom detached, semi-detached apartments are within a well-laid out environment and would be provided with infrastructure befitting modern housing estates, BusinessDay has learnt.
Jumoke Akinwunmi, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Housing Development, who spoke to newsmen in Abeokuta at the weekend during a visit to the construction site, however declared that the building of the estate “was a fulfillment of the government’s plan on massive housing delivery.”
She noted that government was committed to the delivery of valuable and affordable houses across the three senatorial districts through a careful balance of efficient design and effective planning.
Akinwunmi who is also the General Manager of the State Housing Corporation (OPIC), said the project would be tailored to suit the need of everyone with recognizable means of livelihood in both formal and informal sectors, adding that government would put in place a monitoring team made up of internal and external resources as part of measures to ensure quality service delivery.
By: RAZAQ AYINLA
