Governor Peter Mbah says his administration is working to expand its tax net to include residents who have not been paying taxes.

Mr Mbah stated this at the 51st annual general meeting of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture on Thursday in Enugu.

While acknowledging the marginal tax increase by the Enugu government, the governor said, “Part of what we are trying to do is to expand the tax net so that those who have not been paying can start paying something.

“Why we are trying to expand the tax net is to enable everyone to contribute, no matter how little, to create a system that is structured and put everybody in same platform so that investors and investments can come into the state.

“I agree there has been a marginal increase of tax but part of the people we have are those that have benefited from the system when we have lapses.”

Mr Mbah explained that his administration blocked the loopholes and leakages from those who had benefitted from the process that had some lacuna.

He added that from what they did, payment of taxes was now seamless and technology-driven, eliminating multiple taxation. The governor said it had removed those who had no business with revenue collection from taking advantage of the system.

According to him, part of the indices that form the decision of the multilateral institutions and businesses to invest in a state is about their tax system.

“So a state where most of the people are not making contributions as tax showed that their economy is not structured.

“With what we did, partners and investment are now coming in to invest in places like Nike Lake Hotel and palm oil. The president is coming to inaugurate some of our projects, and we have interested parties in almost all sectors.

“I sympathise with those who complain about our tax system, and as a government, we are willing to listen to those complaints,” he said.

He urged the ECCIMA president, Odeiga Jideonwo, to dialogue with the state government about taxation and all things affecting businesses in the state.

“We need a lot of advice from them to sharpen and have input in our policies and administration efforts to make Enugu a better place for investment and expand their own opportunities to grow and thrive,” said the governor.

He explained that as business people faced challenges due to subsidy removal that resulted in a hike in pump price, the government also faced the same but prioritised theirs by investing in critical infrastructure to make Enugu business-friendly.

Earlier, the ECCIMA president, Jideonwo, praised the consolidated efforts of the Enugu government to improve the state business environment.

He commended the tax policy of the state government that had brought more people into the government’s tax net, appealing that effort should be made to launch a one-stop shop, unified tax payment system for the state.

This, he said, would prevent multiple payments of the same tax to the state and Local government at the same time.

He urged Mr Mbah to facilitate the opening of the new international terminal building at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, stressing that the 36th Enugu International Trade Fair would be held on April 4.

The ECCIMA board of trustee member, Rob Anwatu, decried the state government’s tax increase and appealed to it to spread its tax net to accommodate those not paying taxes rather than overburden those paying theirs.

(NAN)