The Enugu state government says it is working to introduce community tax whereby every adult in the rural communities pays tax for the development of the state.

Emmanuel Nnamani, the executive chairman, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), disclosed this during a chat with journalists on Saturday in Enugu.

Mr Nnamani noted that community tax had been in existence but many administrations failed or shied away from implementing it.

He said that the taxes would be affordable and according to the individual’s capability.

He said that the traditional rulers and president generals would be involved in planning and implementation of the tax.

“We still have community tax but we are going to take it step by step as it is not something we can carry on without involving traditional rulers and the President-General of every community in the state.

“Government recently appointed the Traditional Rulers Council and we are just waiting for their inauguration.

“We will open up on that discussion and the tax will not cause fracas between the traditional rulers, President- Generals and the people,” he pledged.

The executive chairman wondered where the government was expected to raise funds for the building of smart schools and tier two health centres across all the wards in the state as well as mechanised boreholes in every community, among others.

“The last time community tax was collected in Enugu was in the 60s and early 70s but these days they don’t pay tax due to poor implementation.

“We need to take government as a serious business. People pay taxes for their country to be developed and it is only when they pay taxes that the government can see what to work with.

“It is only in those days when our forefathers paid taxes that we built gigantic structures and companies like ANAMMCO, NigerCem, Niger Gas, Cashew plantations, Presidential Hotel and many others.

“These days, governments do not build such things because they don’t collect the supposed taxes,” Mr Nnamani said.

 (NAN)