Enugu state government has shown its readiness to collect the internally generated revenue in all outlets open to it.
To this end, the governor, Peter Mbah lead administration, has set out September 27, 2023 to launch electronic ticketing, e-ticket, to ensure that tax payers did not go go through stress to pay their taxes, levies and dues in the state.
The Enugu state executive chairman Board of Internal Revenue, Enugu (BOIR), Mr. Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani, who disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday, said that there was no way the government would give the people the needed democracy dividends if they did not pay their taxes and levies.
According to Nnamani, Mbah had a lot development projects mapped out and there was no way he could execute them with enough revenue.
He pointed out that the governor had made a projection to increase the state’s GDP from $4.4billion to $30billion in the next eight years, saying that this would not be possible if the people were not carrying out their duties and obligation to the state.
To make this achievable and realisable Nnamani said that state is determined “to explore all areas of income generation.”
He said that the people had not be paying taxes and past administrations had overlooked it but the present administration is determined to ensure that they appreciate the impact of tax payment.
“The areas of economic growth is taxes. Our people have not been paying taxes. In our environment, people are happy that they do not pay tax..
“Without taxes, there will be no development. We shall go into areas where people call no-go areas,” he said pointing out that the e-ticket is for the informal sector.
The chairman said that taxi drivers, Keke operators and traders hardly pay taxes but are now going to do do, hence the launching of the e-ticketing to enable government get revenue from them.
Nnamani however said that the taxes are going to be consolidated to eschew double taxes and to remove touting in income generation.
“Taxes will be consolidated through the e-ticketing. Union dues, local government charges are all consolidated and it is through one charge. We are also implementing the e-ticketing in our markets.”
Nnamani said that very soon people will not be able to access Government services without evidence of tax payment.