Governor Aminu Masari says he is planning to tax herders in Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown. 

According to the Katsina government, the new tax regime was necessary as the state receives about N6 billion monthly from the Federation Account and spends N3 billion on salaries and allowances. 

Mr Masari said the taxes would be used to enhance people’s living conditions and address the state’s insecurity.

Mr disclosed that his government would generate comprehensive data of herdmen and others dealing in husbandry for proper tax administration.

On Monday, Faruq Lawal-Jobe, the committee chair on the reintroduction of the taxes, announced the policy in a public sensitisation on the initiative.

Mr Lawal-Jobe, also the commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, said the government would begin to capture prospective taxpayers’ data.

He added that the taxes would go directly into a special account meant to assist widows and orphans affected by banditry and other security challenges in the state.

Explaining the policy, Mr Lawal-Jobe, “We are going to take biodata of the people killed by bandits, to know the number of wives and children they left behind.

“That will help to prevent such children from indulging in such acts.”

He revealed that the government had constituted a committee to assist victims of banditry in the state.

“The committee will use the funds to assist widows and orphans in the state and will ensure that the funds were used in improving the lives of the widows and the orphans,” Lawal-Jobe further disclosed.

He noted that the state has about 10 million people, but with just over two million children in public schools.

Supporting the government’s tax policy, the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir, stressed the importance of paying taxes, adding that no country can survive without its citizens paying taxes.

(NAN)