Enugu to introduce community tax for rural development

Enugu government says community tax will be introduced in the state to promote development.

Emmanuel Nnamani, executive chairman, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), spoke during an interview with NAN on Saturday.

Nnamani said the community tax had been in existence but many administrations failed or shied away from implementing it.

He said the taxes would be affordable and based on the individual’s capability.

According to Nnamani, traditional rulers and president generals would be involved in the 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,” Nnamani.

“Government recently appointed the traditional ruler’s 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.”

Nnamani also said 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 the government seriously. 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,” he said.

“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.”

Nnamani said these days, governments do not build such things because they do not collect the supposed taxes.