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The Enugu State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the State Harmonised Taxes and Levies Bill aimed to streamline taxes and levies collected in the state.
Leading a debate before its passage in Enugu, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Iloabuchi Aniagu, said the bill would make the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) to be in charge of collecting taxes.
Aniagu noted that the current administration was doing everything possible to give the state a face-lift, hinting that it could only be achieved through collection of taxes.
While noting that no society can develop without taxation, the lawmaker added that the legislation tend to make the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) to be in charge of collecting taxes
He further disclosed that the bill would stop the menace of road blocks by touts, which was described as a serious issue in the state.
Another lawmaker, Mr Malachy Onyechi, revealed that the bill when implemented would stop people from evading tax in the state.
Onyechi regretted that many people who evade tax wanted the government to provide basic amenities in their communities, and wondered where the government would get the money from to provide the amenities.
According to him, it would strengthen confidence of investors to invest in the state, knowing fully well that their investments would be safe.
Also, Ms. Obiajulu Ugwu, pointed out that the bill was an indication that the state government had not only heard the cries of the masses but determined to find a solution to it.
She argued that the issue of multiple taxation was affecting the image of the state government and also providing an avenue for the opposition to criticise and attack the government.
The lawmaker stressed that the bill would end needless extortion by different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Speaking shortly after the passage of the bill, the Speaker of the House, Chief Uche Ugwu, reiterated that the eight assembly was determined to sanitise the tax system in the state.
Ugwu maintained that the assembly would not fold its hands and watch greedy individuals impose hardship on the people or allow their constituents to suffer under the guise of tax collection.
The speaker stressed that the passed bill was not targeted at group or individual but to restore sanity in the collection of taxes and levies in the state.
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