Ogun loses N5bn revenue monthly to unorganised toll ―Amosun

The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday, said that the state is losing a whooping sum of N5billion revenue monthly due to unorganised haulage toll collection.

He said this during the official flag off ceremony of haulage revenue collection in Ogun State, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, with the theme “Harmonization Eradicating Multiplicity in Haulage Revenue Collection.”

He submitted that with the new policy all forms illegal toll collectors from the local, state and federal levels would cease to exist.

“Let me state categorically that, with this new policy, all identified illegal toll collectors/collection including those from State Government Agencies and Local Governments in the State shall henceforth, cease to exist at the designated toll points/control posts.

” In addition to this, let it be known that any individual or group of persons found to be collecting haulage revenue without due approval will not only be arrested but made to face the full wrath of the law.

“As Government, we cannot allow such abuse which has led to major revenue loss and extortion of our people.

“It is for the reason that a Technical Committee was set up to look into ways which haulage revenue could be collected in a profitable manner to Government and operators while also maintaining decorum and sanity at the toll points.

The Committee which comprises representatives of the four collaborating Agencies- Ministries of Agriculture; Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Environment; and, Ministry of Forestry, was put together.

“Today, we are here to witness the dexterity and professionalism with which they have harmonised the collection,” the governor added.

Amosun insisted that harmonised tickets with security features will henceforth be issued by government to make the system a huge success.

He said further that the scheme, apart from eradicating touting at the designated toll points across the state, would also be force based on the directive of the Inspector General of Police that all road blocks should be dismantled.