Revenue collection is one of the principal means by which a government finances its expenditure. Funds provided by taxation have been used by states and their functional equivalents throughout history to carry out their many functions.
The method of revenue generation has to be looked into if we have to improve on revenue collection and accounting. Therefore, the importance of IT in revenue generation activities cannot be over emphasized.
The administration of the FCT is harnessing all the revenue sources it has. Effective collection machinery needs to be put in place to ensure that all that are collectible are well monitored and paid into the coffers of the authority.
To make a progressive impact in its revenue drive and collections, it is important to computerize and automate its revenue collection and accounting processes to prevent both foreseeable and unforeseeable leakages that may exist in the system.
Already, the FCT Department of Road Traffic Services commenced the processing of documents through a new IT system called electronic vehicle registration (e-VREG) as a way of boosting its revenue capacity.
The programme will provide guide on how best to look inward and harness the IGR of the Federal Capital Territory, especially now that the revenue allocation from the federation account is declining on a monthly basis.
Prior to the new innovation, processing of documents was done manually and fraught with irregularities that provided avenues for fraudulent practices. Then VIO management did not have correct visibility of its revenue profile.
The revenue drives by the DRTS is second only to AGIS. Since 2009 when the FCT administration gave its approval, a robust application system was put in place that enabledcustomers to walk into any of the designated banks, pay and come to the DRTS office to obtain the service they required.
The end-to-end application system consists of a secure web application system that monitors payments made at the banks through a switching platform, such on-line payments are dropped into the e-VREG platform where the services are processed.
The primary advantage of the e-VREG is that it has closed perceived leakages within the system such that the FCT administration has complete visibility of such payments as they are being made.
It is also convenient for customers to make payments because it is faster and the system has unique features that can identify fake receipts through a code that can be detected through a mobile phone.
Once the mobile phone is used to take photograph of such receipts, the image is transferred on-line to the database at the e-VRG office where it can discovered that the receipt is fake, and the system also prevents double issuance of vehicle plate numbers.
One of the customers who came to the centre, Festus Osas, said he came for vehicle registration after paying in the bank and described the procedure as good but complained about delay in the printing of documents.
Another customer, Aliyu Hamidu, said if all other FCTA agencies and departments like the AEPB, Development Control Department and Parks and Recreation departments emulate this new technology it would go a long way to ease the pain FCT residents go through in dealing with them officially.
And in line with the SERVICOM standards of the federal government in ensuring e-governance in all government operations, over 50 VIO staff have been trained to man the e-VREG computers.
There are plans by DTRS next month to ensure its offices in remote locations like area councils are linked up to the system through on-line transfer to database including back-up to prevent failure.
Director of the department, popularly called VIO, Major Adamu Argungu (rtd) said the e-registration started in July was in fulfillment of FCT minister's promise to provide qualitative service to FCT residents. "It is a process whereby everything is done electronically, so the issue of manual dealings is now over.
"You can pay from any of the three designated banks i.e. Aso Savings and Loans, Intercontinental Bank, Oceanic Bank and Zenith Bank for our ONEX Zonal Command, and once you show proof of such transaction we do business with you here."
He said every activity of the department is now coded, so that if you pay less or higher the system will reject it, so all the bottlenecks have been removed including the idea of fake registration papers and delays.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Nasir Imam
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 20.08.2010
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