The Osun State government has trained about 210 youths as tax revenue marshals to help in the collection of tax especially from the informal sector.
This was disclosed by the acting Chairman of Osun Internal Revenue Service (ORIS), Dayo Oyebanji, at a three-day capacity building programme for the trainees in Oshogbo, the Osun State capital.
Mr Oyebanji said the training became necessary owing to a drastic drop in the monthly revenue coming to the state from the Federation Account.
He explained that the tax collectors were expected to deal with the informal sector of the state economy by taking the collection process to the doorsteps of market men and women, shop owners, artisans among others.
The OIRS boss, who maintained that there would be no room for tax evasion and avoidance, emphasised on the need for all citizens of the state to perform their civic responsibility by ensuring prompt payment of their tax.
He hinted that the agency had embarked on massive sensitisation , adding that the prompt payment of tax would drastically boost the revenue of the state and make it attractive to potential investors.
Drawn from the 30 Local Government Areas across the state, the tax collectors named “Osun Revenue Marshals”, were armed with Point of Sales (POS) machines each to ease their activities.
This comes as part of efforts to increase the revenue generation drive in Osun State, South-west Nigeria.