The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Karu branch, Nasarawa State, on Friday shut down private schools over alleged outrageous multiple and undocumented taxation imposed on them.

Speaking in separate interviews with journalists, proprietors drawn from the five NAPPS chapters in the local government said they had been slammed with tenement rates, operational levies, property tax, and business premises tax.

They said the taxes amount to hundreds of thousands of naira annually, crippling schools already struggling with loans, staff salaries, and maintenance costs.

Abdullahi Abbaisa, NAPPS chairman, Karshi chapter, said local government officials had been charging fees that were never documented by the state government.

Mr Abbaisa said the association had secured an audience with the executive chairman of Karu Local Government, Aliyu Madaki, to look into their plight.

“This is the first time private schools will be embarking on a strike in the history of NAPPS in Nasarawa State.

“The disputed local government levy is between N300,000 and N1.5 million per school annually, excluding property tax and other charges.

“All the affected schools were served court notices before the matter was formally instituted,” he said.

Also, the chairman of the NAPPS Mararaba chapter, Aloysius Chukwu, said the association had earlier written to the office of the local government chairman over the double taxation, since schools had already paid property tax to the state government.

Mr Chukwu alleged that the local government retained 70 per cent of the money and separately demanded tenement rates annually.

According to him, private schools in Nasarawa pay the state government N300,000 for nursery and primary schools and N350,000 for secondary schools before they are allowed to operate.

He said this was in addition to operational permit fees of N40,000 to N50,000 for nursery and primary schools and N50,000 for secondary schools in Karu.

Mr Chukwu said proprietors had raised the issue of double taxation with the council’s consultants and requested the suspension of the operational permit levy.

He argued that schools already paid taxes to the state government, along with other levies such as environmental charges, and noted that the consultants’ appeal was rejected.

Mr Chukwu said the consultants subsequently directed schools to settle all outstanding taxes while promising a meeting with proprietors to find a lasting solution.

He added that NAPPS members converged at the court in solidarity after more than 200 proprietors were summoned.

Mr Chukwu said the case was adjourned until July 24, when the association would either present a report on an amicable settlement or continue with the litigation.

Also, the chairman and coordinator of the NAPPS Karu 1 chapter, Musa Adamu, said private school owners were burdened by multiple taxes, including property tax, tenement rates, operational levy, and business premises tax, which he said vary according to the size of the property.

NAPPS in Karu Local Government Area operates under five chapters: Mararaba, Masaka/Ado, Karu 1, Karu 2, and Karishi.

Meanwhile, parents were notified ahead of the shutdown through various communication channels to keep their children at home, while proprietors assured them that full academic activities would resume on Monday.

More than 200 private school proprietors in Karu were summoned to court over alleged non-compliance with tax obligations. 

(NAN)