Anambra state Government Partners with oil industry to generate revenue

The Anambra State Government has partnered with Bigly Oil and Gas Limited (Bigly Energy) to generate revenue for the government.To this effect ,Bigly Oil and Gas Limited has recruited and digitally trained over 300 youths in the state.

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Speaking in a Press Conference in Awka ,the project manager, Bigly Oil and Gas, Mr Chukwuma Nwabuikwu Michael, emphasized that the firm which has been accredited by the Anambra State government to collect haulage taxes from trucks on transits (upstream) and trucks conveying goods to markets(downstream), and remit same to the State government’s purse electronically, was committed to prevent revenue leakages, rid the streets of touts (agberos) and employ more youths for effective and efficient revenue collections.

The project manager therefore assured the public that his firm would not renegade of their promises to support the government efforts to block revenue leakages or harass tax payers, even as he charged them to report any of their staff caught violating the rules or persons masquerading as them to the firm or law enforcement agents for proper action to be taken.

“We are working with Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS) to collect haulage revenues, help improves the State revenue, stop agberos (touts), and block revenue leakages. We are committed to this service since we started operation on 26 September, 2023. We have recruited over 300 youth to join the system, train them and empower them to work efficiently, with their complete data available to the security and other relevant authorities, including the office of the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters.These revenue field officers(task clerks),work at different revenue pits to collect haulage tax on behalf of the state government.

“Our rules of engagement handed over to them is to observe international best practices. If you engage in hard drugs, smoke hemp or even take cigarettes or alcoholic drinks while on duty, we will dismiss and hand you over to the law enforcement agents. We will also dismiss and ensure prosecution of any of our staff caught in sharp practices or corruption. We warned our members against using violence or abuses on motorists too, ” he stated.

Speaking further,Nwabuikwu said, “We have identified what we call revenue hubs.We have about 60 of them in our markets and parks.We have also deployed and still deploying revenue collection hubs at each of those identified pits,built in kiosk form.Graduates are secretaries in those hubs and they electronically collect revenues on behalf of the government.”

The project manager also disclosed that the era of people breaking side mirrors, removing wipers or taking part of the goods being conveyed by the driver under the guise of revenue collection,is completely over under the operation of Bigly Oil and Gas Limited.

He lauded governor Soludo for prioritising youth welfare and empowerment in his administration and encouraged Nigerian Youths to shun criminal acts and embrace education and good deeds for a greater nation.