By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

Edo State Government has grown its internally generated revenue, IGR, by over 200 per cent in the last three years. In a bid to meet its commitment to the people through the delivery of dividends of democracy, the state is planning to further grow its IGR to finance ongoing projects.

The state internal revenue, which stood at N750 million monthly in 2008, had risen to N1.3 billion as at August 2011.

Briefing newsmen in Benin on the new consumption tax, Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Board, Mr. Oseni Elama, said there were 150 projects that are being executed across the 18 local government areas of the state. He said the various projects have generated lots of employment for the indigenes of the area where they are located. Some of the projects include road construction, renovation of schools, construction of hospitals, among others.

Elama disclosed that the state started the tax drive by ensuring that all civil servants in the state paid the right taxes.

He said Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in his quest to bring development to the door steps of the Edo people, cut down on the cost of governance in the state starting from his office.

He said the state government was able to save N7 billion in the first year of the governor’s assumption of office, which was like the seed money with which he started infrastructural development.