By Sunny A. David, Onitsha
The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service Commission has made a passionate call to all taxable individuals to contribute to the development of the state by paying their taxes.
The Commission made the appeal through the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Taxes, Mrs. Amaka Ossy-Malu who went on sensitization tour on the importance of taxes at Anambra Industrial cluster Onitsha, Wisdom layout, Umuike Ozala Obosi where she interacted with the executives of the markets and landlord associations.
While deliberating with the stakeholders, Mrs. Ossy-Malu stated that for democratic dividends to get to all nook and crannies of the state, every taxable individual should do the needful which is to pay taxes according to their income.
She lamented that people of the area are still backwards in payment of taxes even when they expect dividends of democracy from government.
The Senior Special Assistant disclosed that since the Commission has sensitized the public through their stakeholders, anybody who fails to comply will face sanctions as they have set up court to prosecute offenders.
The President of Anambra State Association of Small and Medium Scale Industries, Mr. John Okolo in his remarks assured that they are willing to comply with all the government directives in paying levies.
The Secretary of the Association, Mr. Daniel Akpan identify poor power supply, multiple-taxation and need to relocate them to a permanent industrial layout as part of challenges confronting them, stating that they have written to the appropriate authorities for years but nothing has been done yet.
For a member of the landlord association, Mr. Nnamdi Ezeh, they are ready to pay tax to enable the government reconstruct and put in good shape roads in the area, regretting the hardship they face on the roads which he regretted has led to loss of lives. They conducted Mrs. Ossy-Malu round the cluster to see things for herself.
