Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State
By Akpan David, Calabar
The Governor of Cross River State, Professor Benedict Ayade has revised the 2020 budget of N1.1trillion, christened Budget of Olimpotic Meristemasis.
He said the super jumbo budget was not realistic and therefore had to be reviewed to meet current realities as occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor spoke through the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr and the executive chairman bid the state Internal Revenue Service, Me Akpanke Ogar who listed array of further tax reliefs to low income earners, firms and tourism industry in the state.
Ekpenyong said the budget has been reviewed by over 80%. The new proposed budget for the year now is N147,130,166 Billion, which he said has been passed to the state House of Assembly for consideration and passage into law.
Ekpenyong who addressed journalists on further tax reliefs to the people as a way to cushioning COVID-19 effects.
He said there have been telling effects on the business sector of the state, so that many in the tourism and service areas have since closed shops in the state.
“Due to the grave impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic, there have been telling effects on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state, which reason it became imperative for government at to look at the state budget and needfully revise it downward.”
He said the revised budget has taken into consideration practical economic realities.
At the joint press briefing, the state tax boss, Akpanke Ogar said the governor has approved package of reliefs and incentives for individual tax payers and businesses in the state as avenues for cushioning the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said in line with the provisions of the state tax exemption law 2015, individuals earning less than N100,000 per month, self-employed persons, such as artisans, hawkers, Okada riders, Keke and taxi drivers etc are granted tax reliefs.
“Waivers are also granted on penalties and interest charges on all outstanding tax liabilities for 2018 and 2019 assessments.
“Tax payers will be allowed to make instalmental payments in 2020 for outstanding tax liabilities over a period not exceeding six months.”
Confirming the tax palliatives, the commissioner for finance Ekpenyong warned that the state has decided to wield the heavy hammer on “local council agents and officials who may persist in harrassing and extorting from market women and the aforementioned persons.”
“Enforcement of these tax reliefs will be total. Government will handle persons that will harass and extort tax and other forms of rates as criminals and robbers, and shall treat them as such”, Ekpenyong stressed.
