Omani government agencies to accept only e-payment from this date

Muscat: The Sultanate’s Ministry of Finance has issued a circular that all government revenues will only be collected via electronic payment.

According to the Ministry, all government agencies will only accept electronic payment for services rendered starting 1 January, 2020.

The government will bear the one per cent commission of the fee paid to the banks and would not pass the same to the citizens, the statement added.

The circular clarifies: "The Ministry directed all ministries and government units to fully comply with the collection of all government revenues through electronic payment and to stop collecting revenue in any other way as of January 1, 2020, calling for cooperation and adherence to the contents of the circular for the sake of public interest.”

This publication was based on the provisions of the Executive Regulation of the Financial Law issued by the Ministerial Decree No. 118/2008, in particular the provisions of Article (313) of this regulation relating to the collection of government revenues using electronic means.

“And with reference to circulars issued by the Ministry of Finance (7/2007) on the use of the electronic payment gateway in collecting government revenues, (2/2008) on collecting government revenues through commercial banks and (1/2010) on collecting government revenues,” the statement added.

It was also based on financial publications issued by the Ministry of Finance No. (7 of 2016) and (4 of 2017) on the commission rate due to commercial banks for the automatic collection of government revenues.